Forgotten Deceptions
by wishesheknew
Summary: Okay so this actually is just my idea and isnt apart of any books or movies, etc. I just need some major imput. This is a murder/mystrey/romace/funny book. Its got a nice random mellow vibe so please read and review.
1. What i go to school for

_Tic__k…Tock…Tick…Tock. _The room was so quiet, it was driving me insane. This class was boring enough with everyone talking, now with this death silence its torture. Mr. Cabera must have gotten a real kick out of ordering a huge clock to put in his room. I pry my eyes away from the clock and take a look around the room. The behind me a kid was sleeping and drooling on his desk, it was becoming a big puddle on is desk. The girl in front kept doodling little hearts on her notebook. To my left was Neo, Neo looked up from his notebook and gave me a goofy look. I smiled and I mouthed _I'm bored_. Neo nodded and started to snore, I started cracking up. Suddenly Mr. Cabera narrowed his eyes and said sarcastically,

"Is there a new joke I don't know about? If there is do tell us"

"No, it's nothing" I said.

"I don't want you to interrupt my class again" he scolded."No problem" Neo murmured.

I blew my bangs away from my face and then a piece of paper landed on my desk

I can't help it if he is discriminating against my awesome snoring! =p

I silently started laughing, my shoulders shaking uncontrollably. Then I wrote:

He must be part of the TAA. Teachers Against Asians he is so racist haha

I passed the paper over to Neo, his brown eyes widening. He put his hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter. Then he wrote back:

I can't help I'm an awesome Asian snorer. Hey since its Friday do you want to come over? It could be just me and you or you can bring Jon too, and if we invite him you know we have to invite Abby.

Then I wrote:

You are an awesome snorer, but it defiantly doesn't beat my snoring. I don't feel like hanging out with Jon tonight… It could be me, you, and maybe Abby? It's an all-nighter right?

He wrote back:

Haha thanks for the compliment. So you do not want to hang out with the ole' boyfriend tonight? That's not you. Oh I forgot two things: One, Abby is leaving for the weekend, something to do with her dad and her spending some time together, you know how close they are. Two, I need to visit my parents today… It's the third month anniversary; you can come if you want.

I wrote:

Things with Jon aren't the same I guess, it's complicated. I'll tell you later. So just you and me tonight, Right after school okay? My house is always empty anyway. I'll come with you to the cemetery, if you want.

He wrote:

We'll talk later. Got to do these retarded algebra questions, I swear Mr. Cabera gives us so much crap about algebra that I think I burp it. Meet me at the corner if we don't find each other by then.

I wrote:

Dude this is last period haha. Let's just walk to your house together, but I need to get my stuff on the way to your house.

He wrote:

Dudette your house is right across the street.

I smiled at him and then the last bell rang.

We walked out of class, and then out of the school. Neo and I have been friends forever, well, actually since fourth grade when he moved across the street. He and I clicked instantly all because of his parents; his parents had taken me in as their own. My parents were never around because they were major workaholics. I go to Neo's constantly; his family even gave the guest room to me. My parents didn't care of course they just said "As long as you're not making babies." Weird, I know.

"So are you going to tell me what's with you and Jon? You guys aren't like anything like you were before; I mean you guys have been together since I first met you seven years ago." Neo interrupted.

"Maybe that's just it, maybe things aren't the same because we've been together for so long" I said.

We walked to the park near Abby's house and sat across from each other on the seesaw.

"That's not the only reason, is it?" he asked.

"Well, maybe there is another reason" I mumbled.

"You know you can tell me anything" he said reaching over to out his hand on mine.

"Well he's been talking about taking the next step in our relationship, if you catch my drift," I said blushing

"You mean Jonny boy is getting horney for Miss Rosely?" he grinned

"It's not funny!" I said smiling.

"Sorry I couldn't resist, but if you're not cool with going farther then he should respect that. He hasn't been pressuring you has he?" he said, his face getting serious.

"We'll its not like he's trying to force himself on me, but he's kind of pressuring. You know how he gets when he gets a little tipsy," I said

"He really needs to stop drinking, he's going to end up like his dad" he said sadly.

"I want to tell him that he needs to stop, but it's getting worse; I hardly catch him when he's sober anymore. I don't want ton tell him while he's drunk because he wont remember it," I said

"That's true. Hey if you don't mind waiting here, for like fifteen minutes I'm going to go to the cemetery okay? I'll be right back" he said and he walked off.

As soon as Neo was out of sight, I got off the seesaw and walked over to the swings. Then Abby walked out of her house and saw me and came running over. Her curly blonde hair was flying everywhere, and her hazel eyes had that sparkly gleam.

"Hey Abbes" I said.

"Hey Nina" she said smiling.

"I already know what you're going to ask and sorry he didn't say anything about you other than you were going to be leaving with your dad for the weekend" I said frowning.

Abby had the biggest and most obvious crush on Neo. Neo never noticed though, he only saw her as a friend. Now why should I completely bring Abby's hopes down? Anyway, Neo and Abby together would just be weird for some odd reason. I am happy that Abby has finally found a guy she can like and trust though. Abby hasn't trusted a guy for five years now, since her cousin that she had trusted most, raped her when she was twelve. She didn't trust or like a guy since, but a few months ago she told me about her crush on Neo and I was happy for her.

"Ugh Nina, when will he ever notice me? I try and try, but all my attempts fail," she said sadly

"Just wait Abbes; he's going through a rough time, I mean his parents died 3 months ago. Neo is probably just distracted and too deep in thought to think about liking someone"

"I forgot about that, I still can't believe his parents are really gone" she muttered.

Neo's parents were so fun and caring. His parents went to Japan to celebrate their 17th anniversary, because it's where they first met. They had their own plane and everything. I still remember that terrible February night like yesterday…

_Neo, me, and Neo's brother Chang were all watching a midnight movie. Chang had gotten up to get some more popcorn when the phone rang. Chang picked up and then we heard "Wait what happened?" then Neo and I got up to see what was wrong. Chang put the phone back and his face was emotionless._

_"What's wrong, bro?" Neo asked nervously._

_"They're gone. Mom and Dad are dead. The airplane crashed into the sea on their way back..." he said his voice breaking off_

_Neo's face paled, and my heart skipped a beat. Neo leaned against the wall and sunk to the floor, with a single tear sliding down his cheek. "They can't be gone" he said "This cant be happening."_

I think that memory will always stick with me. Neo was very close to his parents, and to have them go so soon was tragic. Chang became his guardian so that Neo and he didn't have to move in with relatives in Japan.

The gleam in Neo's smile isn't the same, his jet black hair doesn't shine like it used to, and Neo wasn't himself for weeks. Neo's starting to come back, but he's still distant. I hope he comes back soon because I miss him.

Then I saw Neo running back to the park.

"Hey I'm back sorry it took so long. Oh hey Abby, I thought you were traveling this weekend?" he said with a confused look on his face.

"We are it's just we haven't left yet, my dad is never on time" she said smiling.

"Cool, so Nina are you ready to go?" Neo said to me

"Yeah just a sec." I said and I went over and hugged Abby. Then I whispered in her ear "I'll bring your name up, okay?"

"Thanks" she mouthed.

Then Neo and I walked down the block towards our development. Our town was so peaceful and beautiful. My town is something you would see in a movie, every leaf is in place and everything's clean. It was perfect. We walked down another block in silence when I finally started talking,

"So what do you do exactly? When you visit your parents, I mean?" I asked

"I write them a letter the night before I visit them. Then I put the letter in the flower case at their graves, in my letters I just update them on my life" he said

"That's actually really cool, it's a lot different then just setting flowers ever month that's very original" I said "Hey I'm going to get my stuff then I'll be right over"

I quickly ran over to my house and grabbed a few clothes and dropped my backpack on the floor. I walked over to Neo's and opened the door. I stomped up the stairs to Neo's room, and found him lying in his bed staring at the ceiling. _He must still be thinking about his parents_, I thought, I'll_ just have to cheer him up_.

"Hey man c'mon lets prank Lindsay tonight" I said poking him

"We haven't messed with her in a while" he said smiling

'"I'll go get the mask" He grinned. I went to the guest room and got the mask from under 'my' bed. Then mask Neo and I found was really… morbid. It looked like a clown, but the eye area was pitch black, and it had a crack in it with blood-markings running down the cheekbones. The mask scared Lindsey every time, she was afraid of clowns. Lindsey Stuck was our neighbor.

I went back to Neo's room and then we went out of the house and over to Lindsey's house. Every time we did, I would get on Neo's shoulders and go up by her window and just look in the mirror. Lindsey's computer was right beside the window so whenever she was on it, which was all the time. She could see right into her window.

So Neo lifted me onto his shoulders and then I looked into her window and she wasn't there. Then I heard Neo cry out and I felt myself start to fall, so I quickly grabbed the ledge to save myself. I felt my fingers slipping and I fell towards the ground.

Then it all went black.

I woke up to find Neo yelling my name, and then my eyes flutter open. I heard Neo sigh in relief,

"Thank God your okay, you passed out" He explained "You were unconscious for a few minutes there"

"What happened?" I mumbled

"Lindsey is an idiot that's what, she got a real kick of pushing me while I was holding you up" he said angrily.

"I didn't think she'd get hurt so badly or pass out for that matter!" Lindsey exclaimed

"Just leave" he said, narrowing his eyes.

"You guys got what you dished out on me, so that's what you get" she said, walking off

"Grow up!" he yelled

I started to get up, but I was instantly brought back down by the pain spreading on my arm and shoulder.

"Owwwww" I moaned

'"We better get you cleaned up, your getting blood all over my driveway" he said, grinning

He picked me up bridal style and he kicked open the door. He laid me down gently on his couch and went up to the bathroom to get the first aid kit. I ripped my t-shirt off, gasping at the pain, revealing my tiny tank top. When Neo came back into the room his eyes widened. Then Neo snapped out of his trance.

"Wow that shirt really took some damage" he said picking up my bloodied t-shirt

He set my bloody shirt back down and sat by me on the couch. I watched Neo's eyes focused on my injuries, he always looked cute when he was concentrating.

"It looks like your back took some damage too, umm… but for me to clean it I need your tank top out of the way" he said blushing

I stared at him in shock, he expected me to sit there in my bra while he dressed my wounds? _Oh and that doesn't sound sexual at all, but Neo isn't Jon so it's not that big of a deal._ I slowly stripped off my tank top, exposing my bra.

Neo blushed again, but started carefully cleaning my cuts. I winced a few times when Neo got to the deeper cuts. He worked very fast and careful, like he saw my pain. The he got out the gauze,

"These cuts are too big for bandages, so umm I'm going to let you do it in the bathroom" he said handing me the gauze

I'm glad he did suggest that I take my bra off in front of him. I think that's going past the guy-girl friendship line. My back and arms still tingled form his delicate touch. Then I went into the bathroom and began unhooking my bra, and I let it drop to the floor. I carefully started wrapping the gauze around my arm, shoulder, and back. I winced a few times when I stretched too much. When I was done I put my bra back on and went to the living room. I saw Neo was sitting there wit my other shirt in his hands. Once Neo saw me he closed his eyes and handed me my shirt. _At least he respects me_ I thought. I laced my arms in the shirt holes but when I tried to slip it over my head I cried out in pain. Neo instantly came to my aid. He hesitantly pulled my shirt down, and then his fingers brushed my stomach slightly, I couldn't stop feeling the electricity.

"Okay" he said nervously, his eyes not reaching mine.

"Dude, its okay. Somebody had to do it and it was you" I said reassuring him

"No I just didn't realize how toned you were" he said with a flirtatious smile

"Don't become Mr. Horny now" I teased

"Let's change the subject" he said laughing

Then I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, it was a text message from Jon _Nina, I really need to see you tonight. Can you come here in a half hour please? _

"That was a text from Jon" I said

"I'm going to guess that he wants you over at his house soon, right? I also bet you're not sure if you should go or stay here with me" he said knowingly

"You seriously know me to well. He sounded urgent, but do you mind if I go for a while? I'll be back around eleven" I said

"Just promise me you'll be here for part of the all nighter, okay? Now go" he said smiling

"I promise I'll be back, if not you can knock out my kneecaps" I said laughing

"I wouldn't do that, do you need a ride?" he asked grinning

"I guess I didn't think about that. So is that a offer?" I said

"Yes, now come on" he mumbled

We jumped into Neo's car and I turned on the radio. I started softly singing to the song that was on, and then Neo started humming.

"You know what we should do?" he asked

"What?" I replied

"We should start a humming-air guitar band" he said laughing "It would be a hit!"

"You think of the most random things" I said giggling

"I have my talents" he said grinning

"Don't let an ego be one of them" I joked

Then Neo stopped in front of Jon's house.

"I'll catch you later; just call me when you need a ride back. I'm going to go rent some horror movies"

"Awesome, I'll catch you later" I said getting out of the car

I walked up to Jon's door and knocked. Jon opened the door and smiled. _Thank God he's sober_ I thought.

"Hey" I said softly

"Hey" he replied

"So why was it so urgent that I come here?" I asked

"Can't a guy hang out with his girlfriend on a Friday night? I think that's what couples do" he said smiling

"I guess" I said, faking a smile

Jon and I have been together since he asked me to be his girlfriend in 3rd grade. When I said yes I honestly didn't think it would last this long. He was my first kiss and my first love, I loved him for how down to earth. He was cute too, with his piercing green eyes and dark red hair. Unlike Neo he was white like Abby and me. Neo was Japanese with his almond brown eyes and jet black hair. Like I was saying, Jon and I have been together for a while. This past year or so has been different because Jon now wants sex and is drinking a lot now. I'm lucky he's sober tonight.

"So are we going to hang out here? Or are we going out?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"I was thinking we could hang out up in my room" he said winking.

_Is that all I am now? His make out toy?_ I thought. He took my hand and led me up the stairs to his room. I sat down on his bed, and then Jon sat down beside me and held my cheek in his hand. Then he kissed me, and then placed his hand in the back of my neck to deepen the kiss. Then it became more and more intense until he gently set me down on the bed. I felt pain shoot up through my back. I tried holding it back, but then Jon's hand traveled down to my belt buckle. I pushed his hand away and broke away from his.

"Stop" I said, firmly.

Then he got up too and sighed.

"Why are you always stopping me? Don't you want it as much as I do?" He said squirming.

"No, I don't Jon. I just can't risk it, I'm not ready" I said crossing my arms.

"I have protection though" he said holding the condom up.

"Those things can slip off and break. I'm sorry Jon but I'm not risking it" I said

"God Nina, you can be such a prude sometimes" he mumbled

I felt my blood start to boil; I hated that word so much.

"I'm not a prude! It's called being smart and careful, maybe you should try it!" I said coldly

Then I quickly got up and left his room. I nearly tripped over the stairs on my way down, but I soon got out the door. I ran down his driveway to the sidewalk, and I started walking towards the stop sign at the end of the block. I flipped open my phone and dialed Neo's number. He answered on the first ring,

"Calling so soon?" he asked.

"I just had to get out, I'll tell you later. Can you pick me up at the stop sign near Jon's house?" I asked.

"I'll be there in a few minutes" he said, and then he hung up.

I sat down on the curb and waited for Neo. I picked at my ripped jeans for a few minutes and then I saw headlights. I jumped into Neo's car, and put on my seatbelt.

"So what happened? You were only there for an hour" he said, looking concerned.

"He went way too far this time; he tried to get me to have sex again. I said no to him and he called me a prude!" I said angrily.

"Was he drunk?" he asked.

"No, he was stone cold sober" I said, playing with my hands.

"You need to tell him what you told me at the park. This is really starting to get out of hand Nina" Neo said shaking his head. "Maybe I'll go over there and give him something else to think about"

"No, don't!" I pleaded "I don't want you to get involved in this mess"

"Fine, but were going to throw an egg at his house" he said smirking.

"Ok, but only one" I said smiling.

"Now there's a smile" he said

We kept on driving, and then we went past Neo's house. I gave him a confused look

"We're going to the ultimate cheer up place" he said grinning. "Just close your eyes, until I say open them, okay?"

I did what I was told and I closed my eyes. As we kept on driving I felt like I was on air. I felt the cool breeze brush my face. Then I felt the car come to a sudden stop.

"Don't open your eyes just yet" Neo ordered "Now unbuckle your seatbelt"

I did as he asked, then I heard my car door open. I felt Neo's hands grab my shoulders and he directed me out of the car. Then Neo gently drag me by my arm and I slowly started walking. I heard another door open and then I heard it close.

"Okay Nina" Neo said "Now open your eyes"

I suddenly opened my eyes, amazed at what was in front of me.

I was amazed by the glass building in front of me, trees were everywhere, and I could see little things moving inside. It was a garden, and it was beautiful. I stepped a little closer and saw that the little things were butterflies. Neo knew I had a thing for butterflies. I looked at Neo and smiled,

"Did I mention that you are the most amazing person ever?"

"I knew this would make you smile" Neo said

"How did you find this place?" I asked

"Well, I think it's called the newspaper" he said laughing

"Did this place just open up?" I asked

"Actually it really opens tomorrow, but there having a midnight viewing, and seeing that its 12:04 I thought I'd take you" he said

"Your way too nice to me, you know that?" I said "C'mon lets go"

I went over and grabbed his hand and ran to the garden. We burst through the doors and looked around. There were butterflies everywhere, so many colors, it was mesmerizing.

"Hey Nina, come back to Earth" he said poking me "Earth to Nina, please come back"

"Sorry, it's just so amazing. Thank you" I said hugging him

"Maybe I should do this stuff more often" he said laughing

"Maybe you should" I said, winking

I awkwardly looked around and then a butterfly landed on my shoulder. I watched the butterfly make its way on top of my head, I moved just a little bit but it flew away.

"So now that I've totally shown my feminine side, are you ready for a horror fest?" Neo asked

"Ok, let's go" I said moving towards the door. I pushed at the door, but it wouldn't budge.

"Umm… Neo?" I asked. "The door won't open"

"Let me try it" he said pushing against the door, but it still wouldn't heave.

"Crap" I mumbled.

Then Neo threw himself into the door, but the door was still closed.

"I swear this door was unlocked when we came in" he said rubbing his shoulder.

"Did somebody lock it when we came it?" I asked

"I don't know, but we need somebody to get us out because there's no one else here" Neo said

I took out my phone and dialed Jon's number and I gave the phone to Neo. He gave me a confused look.

"I'm not talking to that boy, you talk to him. He's the only person that would be available right now" I said crossing my arms

"I know that, but what if he's drunk? That could be dangero—"Neo said to me, then Jon picked up.

"Hey Jon, its Neo… Can you do me a favor? Nina and I are stuck at the Garden, someone locked us in… No you don't have to talk to her, just come and unlock the door…. Thanks" he said and hung up.

"So I take it he doesn't want to see me right now?" I said angrily" Because I don't want too be some sex toy?"

"Well he didn't say that…exactly" Neo winced" he just thought you would go screaming if he touched you, something about being prude"

"He is so immature" I said "When he gets here, he's going to see "Prude Nina" fist in his face"

I swear I was seeing red; Jon never made me this angry before. I felt like Jon had just put up with me all these years just to wait now to forward things. After all these years, it came down to this, us fighting... again. The word prude had always ticked me off, ever since 8th grade.

_All the girls in my gym class were talking about their first kisses while I changed my clothes as fast as I could. I still hadn't felt ready to get kissed yet, so I always avoid the subject. Then all the girls in my locker row turned towards me._

_"So Nina, how was your first kiss? I bet it was Jon who kissed you right?" one of them asked_

_"Oh, umm…. Well" I started_

_"Are you saying you and Jon haven't kissed yet? It's been four years!" Another girl exclaimed_

_I fell silent not knowing what to say. The girls seemed to have dropped the subject, so I went to the gym. When all the other girls came out of the locker room they were all huddled together. I watched them nudge each other and whisper. When I walked over closer I made out the words "Nina is a prude"_

The news of my non existent first kiss spread through the whole school. Soon I had the whole 8th grade whispering, besides my friends. But the word always stuck with me.

I suddenly heard the exit door open and I saw Jon quickly look in. His eyes settled on me and he quickly darted out. I ran out the door and ran after him,

"Jon you better listen and you better listen well" I shouted

I watched Jon hesitantly turn around, his eyes looking at the ground. He may not be looking, but he was listening.

"Jon, being prude and being smart are two different things. I choose being smart and actually not taking a risk for once. I'm honestly just not ready for that next step. If all you want from me is to be your little sex toy then…then I don't know if this will work out" I said coldly

I saw Jon's eyes widen and his jaw drop.

"Nina, is this all because I want us to be even more together? Is that was this is all about?" he stated

"To top it off well, your drinking is out of control! I hardly ever see you sober anymore, if you don't stop your going to..." I started

"Just finish it Nina" he interrupted, his jaw clenching

"You're going to end up like your father"

Jon's eyes suddenly filled with rage.

"I WILL NEVER BE LIKE HIM!" he yelled "I'm not going to be so drunk that I hit my family, and the ones I care about. I'm not going to pass out every time I come home and I will never be him" he said coldly

I hesitated then said "Why don't you take a look at yourself now?"

I saw Neo over by the sidelines, his faced covered in shock. I motioned over to his car; Neo instantly got the message and headed over to his car. When I heard Neo's engine running, I ran over to his car. Before I jumped in I looked over my shoulder at Jon, I saw that he didn't even turn around.

"C'mon Nina, we need to leave" Neo urged.

I quickly got in the car and Neo drove off towards his house. The whole ride home was silent, because I think we were both still in shock, not knowing what to say. I know I was. We finally pulled into the Neo's driveway and quickly got out and entered his house.

The first thing I did when I entered through the door was go to "my room" I carefully closed the door and threw myself onto the bed, totally forgetting about my bandaged shoulder and arm. I cried out in pain. I heard Neo quickly come up the stairs and open the door.

"Are you okay?" he asked, putting his hand on my knee

"I just can't believe I said that, I don't know what came over me. No one has talked to him that way before" I whispered

"You did what you had to do, Nina. Don't turn back now" he said

"Then why do I feel so bad?" I asked, tears filling my eyes.

"You always feel guilty when it comes to Jon, you and I both know that" he said brushing my tears aside" this will be over soon, you guys never fight long"

"Neo, you don't get it, its always going to be like this" I muttered "He's always going to want more"

"I wish I knew more about being with someone, but I don't. I want to be helpful for you but I feel so useless" he said and sighed

Neo has never had a girlfriend, never been kissed, nothing. I just never realized that until now how lonely he must be. _Maybe I should bring up Abby now_ I thought

"I'm just waiting for someone meaningful" Neo said looking at the floor

"Well did you ever think… did you ever think about... Abby?" I asked nervously

I watched him hesitate before answering me,"She's great, but she's just not what I'm looking for. I just need to find somebody who understands me, you know?"

"That's too bad, you two could work" I choked out

"Are you okay/" he said laughing

"Yeah I'm fine" I lied

"So now that we are in a lighter mood, you ready for a all-night horror fest?" he asked

"I'm up for it" I said grinning

We sat down on the couch and started watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the ninth time and we both fell asleep.

I woke up to someone yelling in my ear.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Jon yelled

I slowly opened my eyes to see that Neo had his arm around me and I had my head rested against his chest. Neo opened his eyes and he finally realized our position and his eyes widened.

I quickly got off the couch and brushed myself off.

"Jon what are you doing here?" I asked, yawning

"Well I was coming to apologize, but I see your sleeping with Neo!" Jon accused

I started laughing.

"Are you serious? You think I'm sleeping with Neo?" I said. Then I heard Neo quietly laughing behind me. "Neo and I were just watching a movie, and I guess that's how you found us like that, we were just sleeping"

"So you guys all cuddled up together is nothing? You guys always hanging out and staying over here is nothing? Wow if that's friendship, then we're not even good friends!" he said sarcastically

"Will you stop with the melodramatics? You're exaggerating Jon. You're blowing this way out of proportion" I said crossing my arms.

I saw him look at me his eyes narrowing, looking at my shoulder. Then Neo went to the kitchen.

"What happened to your arm?" he asked

"I scraped my shoulder and back on Neo's driveway after him I and I did a prank on Lindsey" I explained

"I'm guessing you didn't go to the hospital for those bandages" he said

"Of course I didn't. I fixed them up here" I replied

"I'm also guessing you had some help"

"Sure Neo helped me clean my cuts, but I did the bandages"

"There's no way that happened with just a t-shirt on" he said, his jaw tightening.

"I had my tank top on" I lied

"So he's seen more than me?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Because a guy's girlfriend isn't supposed to be hanging out with her guy friend more than him!" he exclaimed

"You are not going to believe me are you?" I asked

'No, not really" he said

"The get out now" I said coldly

Just then Neo came back into the room, his eyes directed at me and then at Jon. Then Jon stormed over to the door and left. As soon as the door slammed, Neo's head whipped around to look at me.

"What the heck just happened here?" he asked

"I would tell you if I knew" I mumbled

"You know he's got a bad temper, I bet in a hour he'll come back again" said Neo

"The thing is…I don't want him to come back. He has always been weird about our friendship, I could always tell. I can't give up our friendship for a relationship I'm miserable in. I just can't live like this, so I hope he never comes back" I said quietly

"I didn't realize your maturity level, Nina. I'm proud of you. I'm glad because I didn't want our friendship to end either" he said hugging me

"I have to end it with him: I said sighing

Just then my phone vibrated and I quickly pulled it out, it was another text message from Jon _Nina, can you please come so we can talk? Please meet me at the Elementary School in 10 minutes. _I looked up at Neo.

"I have to end this; can I take your car?"

"He texted you didn't he? Here take them" he said tossing me his keys.

I walked out of the house and hurried to his car. I jumped in, put the keys in the ignition, and turned the radio up full blast. I had to clear my head before I talked to him. I drove into the elementary school parking lot. I saw Jon sitting on the swing, swinging back and forth. I got out of the car and slowly made my way to the swing set. I saw Jon look up at me sadly, as if he had been crying. _This is going to be harder than I thought_ I said to myself. The Jon asked,

"When will the fighting stop?"

"I don't think it will ever stop" I replied" It's always going to be like this"

"So what should we do about this then?" he asked

I looked at him sadly, "Maybe we should, you know break up?"

To my surprise he looked like he understood.

"That's probably the right thing to do; I don't want to leave you here when I go to Rehab" he said

"Your going to Rehab?" I asked, shocked

"I obviously have a drinking problem, Nina. After I found you this morning… I came here. I sometimes come here to think and a few hours ago I realized that all I've done lately is hurt you. I don't want to lose somebody else to my problems. I'm tired of affecting everyone else" he replied

"You didn't lose me completely, I'm just not your girlfriend anymore, but I'm still your friend" I said

"I leave in five days" he said

"Even if were not together, I'll still miss you" I whispered

He got up from his swing and hugged, then broke away. Then I laughed,

"You know what's sadly ironic?" I asked

"What?" he replied

"This is the place where we started, and this is the place where it ended" I said smiling sadly

We said goodbye and I drove to Neo's, still in shock. Once I got to his house, I opened the door and threw myself into the couch. Neo must have heard me and I heard him glide down the stairs.

"So what happened?" he asked nervously

"We broke up. He's going to r-r-rehab" I stuttered

"Rehab?" he said, raising his eyebrows

"He's leaving in five days" I whispered

Neo hesitated and he grimaced then he said,

"I think he's starting to realize that he has a problem which is good. We'll have him over tomorrow. Abby should be back, so she could come too. It will be a little party.

"Thank you" I replied

I walked up to my room and once my head hit the pillow, I feel asleep.

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I woke up to find myself all sweaty. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, and I stood up and tripped over something. Pain had traveled to my arm and back when I heard,

"Ow"

It looked like Neo had slept on the floor last night. Neo quickly got up and gently lifted me off the floor.

"Sorry. I didn't mean for you to trip over me" he apologized

"Why were you sleeping on the floor anyway?" I asked, sitting on the bed

"Well you went to sleep, and two hours later I was getting ready to go to bed. On the way to my room I came to your room to check on you and you were tossing and turning, I think you were having a nightmare because you were all sweaty. I was worried so I stayed in here" he explained.

"I remember my nightmare now"I muttered

"What happened?" he asked

"I don't understand it. I was in a all white room, all alone. Then there was this desk, this plain white desk. I walked up to the desk, and then there were people behind me, like in a line. There was this second line too, when I looked to my left there was this girl. The girl looked so innocent, so pure. When our eyes met, her face fell apart. All the skin on her face was gone and blood splattered the walls. The girl was gone, and then I woke up" I said shuddering "I just don't get it"

"That is a weird dream" he said "I've never heard of anything like it"

"It was so confusing"

"Hey, don't worry about it. It's just a dream" he reassured

"Dreams tell you something, I'm sure of it" I said, starting to get frustrated

"It's okay just go shower and I'll invite Jon and Abby over here'

'Fine, but I need to go over to my house first, okay?" I said

"Just promise to come back" he said smiling

I walked out of his room, rushed down the stairs, and I was out the door. I ran across the street to my house. I hesitantly opened the door a little and looked through the crack. The house seemed empty, so I hurried up the stairs to my room. I walked into my bathroom, stripped off my clothes, and I jumped in the shower. The warm water was soothing to the cuts on my body. I washed my hair and body quickly and stepped out of the shower. I wrapped a towel around myself and dried off. I took some gauze out of the medicine cabinet and gently wrapped my cuts. I went to my room and put some clothes on. I ran my fingers through my dirty blonde hair. I sighed as I saw the red streak in my hair was already fading away. I applied some eyeliner around my dark icy blue eyes that were always complimented. I threw on some shoes, but before I left I noticed a piece of scratch paper on my bed. I picked the note up and unfolded it. The note was unaddressed and said: _One by one you all shall die, each so fast in the blink of an eye, your death wont be so great, because of your last mistake. _I finished reading, and then I read it over and over again and again. I took the note and ran over to Neo's. I burst through the door and Neo suddenly got off the couch. I tossed him the note

"This is jacked up!" I exclaimed

"You can't be serious" he said "you actually believe this crap?'

"We'll see what Jon and Abby think of it" I said putting my hands on my hips.

Right on cue, we heard the doorbell ring, which was Abby of course. Abby was the only one out of us who actually was that polite. Neo let her in, and she sat on the couch beside me. I already saw her gawking at Neo, but this time I could see why. Neo was in a wife beater and sweatpants, so it showed off his muscles. The door then flew open with Jon walking in, He gave me a small smile, and then he sat in the recliner across from me. Abby gave me a questioning look, so I gave her a look that said 'I'll tell you later' The Neo cleared his throat.

"Okay so Nina came running over here with a note that was on her bed" he said passing the note to Abby and Jon. They both had the same reaction: confused.

"Is this a joke" asked Abby

"I have no idea" I said

"I would have to say that we watch our backs" Jon suggested

"So now that that's done. Let's get this party started!" Neo said, breaking the tension

'Nina and I will get some food form the gas station down the block" she said

Abby grabbed my wrist, and once we were out of Neo's front yard she said,

"So why did Jon sit with you like he usually does? He usually greets you with a kiss or at least a hug. What's going on?"

I told her about what happened with Jon at his place, leaving the parts out about Neo and me.

"Wow. Seven years…gone" was all she could say

"We both understood that it was going to happen sooner or later" I mumbled

The rest of the way to the gas station was silent. We quietly grabbed food from the aisles and went toward the cash register to pay for it. With bags in our arms, we walked quickly back to Neo's. Once we got there we threw the food on the table.

"Hey guys, so Jon and I have a theory on who may have went you that note, Nina"

"Who?" Abby and I said in unison.

"I think Lindsey is trying to freak us out" Jon said

"Maybe we should well I don't know, ask her?" I stated

"I'll stay here and set up the food" Abby said

"Okay, we should be right back" Neo said

So we hurried out of the house and made our way to Lindsey's window. I carefully chucked a small rock at her window. She immediately opened her window.

"What do you want now?" she hissed

"Did you send me this?" I said holding out the note towards her

"Let me see that" she said reaching out

I didn't offer for me to be lifted up again because I was already a casualty of being lifted to her window. Jon gently gave Neo a boost toward Lindsey. Lindsey took the note out of Neo's hands. I felt a burning sensation in my throat, I tried to ignore it.

"I didn't write this" she said with confusion in her eyes

I sighed, sadly I believed her.

Then I finally realized why my throat was burning, and I began to cough violently.

Something was on fire.

The smoke smell was overpowering. I felt like I was gagging because the smoke was the strong. It took me a moment to realize that it was Neo's house that was on fire. Chang came running out of the flaming house, screaming loudly, because his arm was on fire. Jon quickly stripped off his sweatshirt and pat down on Chang's arm, diffusing the flame. I looked around him, searching for Abby.

"Where's Abby?" I shouted.

"You mean she's not with you guys?" Chang said wincing "I didn't have time to check upstairs, because it was already engulfed in flames"

"Oh…my…God. Abby's still up there, she must be in my room then…" Neo broke off.

We all hurried to the side of the burning house, where Neo's room was. The smoke was thicker and I could barely breathe now. I heard a shrill scream and saw something fall out of his window, covered in flames. It wasn't something, it was someone. That someone was Abby.

Abby's body was terrorized by the fire. Jon quickly used his sweatshirt again and patted down the flames. The skin on Abby's body had been deeply burned and you could see her bones in certain places. Her gorgeous curly hair was left in hideous clumps, and one of her eyes was missing. I was about to check her pulse, but Neo grabbed my hand so I wouldn't burn my fingers. I did it anyway, her skin burned but I kept my fingers firm on her throat. Abby's pulse was barely going. I flipped open my phone and dialed 911 and told them where I was, and they said they were on their way.

Neo's house was in ashes, just a few black walls standing. The fire truck and ambulance had just arrived. Jon directed them to Abby's body. I watched them put her on the stretcher and strapped an oxygen mask on her damaged face. Chang and Neo jumped in and they were off to the hospital.

I watched them leave, and I broke down in tears. I realized that Abby's not going to make it; she's probably going to die from the fire. I hugged myself, feeling myself shivering even though there was a scorching fire behind me. I was feeling so much pain, and then I felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around my waist.

"We need to get out of here" Jon whispered in my ear"The news people are here and they're coming this way"

I nodded and we hurried into my car, I handed Jon my keys, because I couldn't drive right now. We drove to the hospital in silence, but I had to break the silent.

"So are you still going to rehab?" I asked.

"I'm going to delay it; I know that I need to stay here"

"Okay" I whispered

Jon parked the car and we ran into the hospital. We burst through the glass doors and pushed our way through the mad rush of people. We sprinted to the receptionist's desk and asked for where Neo and Chang's room was. We asked where Abby was, but she said the doctor would explain. We made our way up to Chang's room, Chang's arm was wrapped up and then a doctor came in. He asked to talk to me, Jon, and Neo in the hallway and we obediently followed. I could see the doctor was trying to think of good words, because his hand was on the back of his neck. He took and a deep breath and began,

"We just got out of surgery with Abby. We tried everything, skin graphs, and surgery. She had way too much fire exposure to her body, her lungs were pretty beat up already and her heart was too. We put her in surgery right away, but she stopped breathing in the middle of it. We tried to revive her, but nothing worked. I'm sorry…but she didn't make it"

He quickly turned around and started walking, as he walked away, his footsteps got louder. I felt this deep crushing pain in my chest and I sunk to the floor. I felt like I fell in broken glass, like I was bleeding everywhere. Then my tears came, and I quietly sobbed. I looked up at Neo and then at Jon their faces pale white. Neo's eyes were glossy and Jon's eyes were filled with sadness. I saw they snapped out of their trance and sat down beside me; they both took one of my hands and intertwined their fingers with mine. The tears kept flowing and flowing, it was starting to burn my eyes. I unlocked my fingers from Neo and Jon's and wiped my tears with my sleeve and I stood up. Then Jon and Neo got up also and we went back into Chang's room, from the look on Chang's face I could see that he had heard. The a question hit me, and I turned to Neo and asked,

'Where are you guys going to stay now? Your house is burnt to the ground"

"I guess we'll have to leave New Jersey to go live with our Aunt in Nevada till our house is remade" Chang replied sadly

"So you guys would have to fly across the country?" I choked out

"Sadly, yes" Neo said "She's our closest relative, all our other relatives live in Japan"

I felt a new set of tears burn my eyes, and then I found hope when I thought of an idea

"Why don't you guys stay with me? We have plenty of room and my parents are never home. Please?" I begged

"You're sure it's not a problem?" Chang asked" Because I don't want to intrude or anything"

"It wont be a problem" I said "It will also be a lot cheaper then flying to Nevada"

"True" Neo agreed

So we checked Chang out and Jon took me, Chang, and Neo to my house. We all got out of Jon's car and walked into my house. When we entered the house I saw my parents sitting on the couch staring at the television.

"Where were you today?" my mom asked

"I was just hanging around today" I said, feeling shaky.

"That's a load of bull, Nina" my dad slurred

_Great. Now he chooses to get drunk for once in his life_

My dad turned the TV louder so I could hear,

_Hello and I'm Gwen Brocket for Channel Six news. Reports came from fellow neighbors that a mysterious fire burned down a house today. The people who lived there, Neo and Chang Chou managed to escape the fire quickly. Sadly one of their friends wasn't so lucky and was suffocated from the fire. Her name was Abby Burgess, 16 years old. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. The others Jon Adams and Nina Rosely were outside of the house when this happened so they were safe. How this mysterious fire started, we will let you in on this soon, now back to the weather"_

"Honey, this has been playing for hours, you don't need to lie" assured my mother.

My mother was always the busy mom, always trying to get everything done and it was always more then she could manage. She was really never there for me, she was off at work. My dad on the other hand just stayed at work, he barely came home. He was always on these mysterious conference trips and would be gone for days. It used to worry me, but I gave up on caring a few years back. We don't even celebrate Mother and Fathers day, and they've never been there for my birthday either, 7 years in a row. I seriously just gave up caring.

Then I just felt this rage burst out of me, it was like I could bottle it up anymore.

"Fine. One of my best friends died today. She was tortured for god knows how long in a crazy fire. I don't even know how it started or why it happened. My lungs are still hurting and my throat burns like I'm in hell. You happy?"

"Why would we be happy that someone died?" my father said

"Because you never around to care! Speaking of which Neo and Chang are staying here until their house is rebuilt" I said

"So you're not going to even bother to ask our permission?" my mother said, venom twisting around her words.

"It's not like you're here anyways" I said coldly.

So we walked up the stairs and I directed them to the guest room, next to my room. I was about to head to my room, when realization struck me.

"You guys have no clothes!" I exclaimed

"I'm pretty sure I'm wearing clothes right now, or this would be very awkward" Neo said, cracking a small smile

"You're funny. I mean you have no more extra clothes" I said

"Then I guess we have to go shopping tomorrow" Chang mumbled

"Okay, we'll have to go tomorrow then" I said yawning "I'm going to try to get some sleep. Goodnight"

"Goodnight" they echoed

I went to my room and changed into shorts and a tank top. I threw my smoked clothes in the laundry and slid under the covers. I closed my eyes and tired to get comfortable. I couldn't. I tried counting till I fell asleep, once I got to a thousand I gave up. I slowly got out of bed and quietly walked down the stairs. I sneaked into my kitchen and opened the refrigerator. I grabbed a water bottle, when I heard a knock on the door. Curious, I went over to the door and saw a white note on the floor. I picked it up and unfolded it and read: _The almond brown eyes, the way your black hair shined outside, little did you know that she loved you_ I suddenly heard a creak in the floor and I spun around and saw Neo.

"What's that?" he whispered pointing at the note

"Umm…" I started

"Just let me see it" he whispered

I hesitated and handed him the note. I watched his facial expression sadden. He realized it was about him.

"Why didn't you tell me she l-l-loved me?" he choked out

"I couldn't tell you, she wanted you to somehow figure it out yourself" I said "You only liked her as a friend anyway, so I didn't bother. I only just brought it up yesterday'

"Now there's nothing I can do about it" he whispered"For all we know she could have killed herself in that fire, because of me"

"Don't think like that Neo, don't put the blame on you" I whispered

"Then why do I feel so guilty, Nina? Why do I feel like if I said something, that she would still be here?" he said his eyes shinning in the darkness.

"It was an accident, a terrible accident" I said trying to reassure him, but honestly, I was reassuring myself. But all I could think of was the note on my nightstand and the note in Neo's hand. _Did somebody purposely start that fire? But who would want us dead?_ I thought I closed my eyes and I saw Abby. I saw her wild dirty blonde curls and her gleaming hazel eyes. Then I saw her as I saw her today, her skin all crisp from the fire her hair left in hideous clumps, and her eye missing. I felt the tears run down my cheeks as I remembered when Abby first told me about her feelings towards Neo…

_"Nina can I tell you something?" Abby asked nervously_

_"Sure, anything" I said_

_"I really really really really like Neo. I love everything about him. He just won't notice me" _

_"Well go for it" I said smiling" If you guys go out then we can double date! Just make sure you make it your goal" _

_"Okay. I vow that I will at least get kissed by Neo before I die" she said laughing_

That goal was never completed. I feel terrible that I didn't try harder to get them together. But there was just something that really annoyed me about the thought of Neo and Abby together. Then I felt someone spin me around, I gasped.

"Sorry you were kind of zoned out" Neo said

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just every time I close my eyes, I see her" I whispered

Neo immediately took me in his arms and I quietly sobbed on his shoulder. I felt my tank top strap get wet; it took me a moment to realize that he was crying too. I hugged him tighter, to reassure him. I pulled away and sat down on the couch, and I patted the spot by me. Neo sat down by me, and I laid my head on his shoulder. He did the natural thing and laid his head on mine. I clicked on the radio and I slowly fell asleep.

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I woke up to the smell of coffee. I opened my eyes and saw that I was lying on top of Neo, my head lying on his chest. Neo had his arm around my waist and he was still sleeping peacefully. Then I heard someone start laughing.

"Wow, what happened last night?" Chang said obviously amused.

That was all it took to wake up Neo, I saw his eyes widen at the position we were in. I quickly got up, wincing a little from the bandages rubbing against my raw skin. Then Neo got up and brushed himself off. I was still in my tank top and boy-shorts, but Neo was in his wife beater and boxers. This didn't look good.

Thankfully, Chang let the subject drop,

"You guys should hurry up so we can get to the mall before rush hour"

I gave Neo a smirk and ran upstairs to take a shower. After I got dressed, I ran downstairs to shove a breakfast bar in my mouth. Then I waited for Neo. He came downstairs in what he wore yesterday, a wife beater and sweatpants. I rolled my eyes, and quickly ran to the car, and Neo climbed in the passenger seat with Chang sitting in the back.

I drove to the mall and parked the car. We all walked into the mall, and went to the closest clothing store. Chang got enough clothes to last a while, in a matter of a few minutes. Neo, of course took more time. Eventually, Chang decided he would go sit in a bookstore and look at magazines.

Neo and I raided the Teen Clothing stores, doing the weirdest things possible. I put tried on some really baggy guy jeans, while Neo put on some really, really, really tight girl pants. I watched him struggle to breathe as he walked over to me. I quickly used on hand to keep my own pants up and ran into his changing room and grabbed his sweatpants.

"You did not just steal my pants" he said, hardly breathing " I need those to revive me and get the natural blood flow to my legs back"

I just gave him my signature smirk and next thing I know his arms are around my waist, trying to get his pants. His face was so close to mine, I saw him then smirk and he stole his pants back. Then he walked away to his changing room.

_Why did that feel so… natural?_ I thought

A few days passed after tAbby wouldn't want to I went to my room and changed into shorts and a tank top. I threw my smoked clothes in the laundry and slid under the covers. I closed my eyes and tired to get comfortable. I couldn't. I tried counting till I fell asleep, once I got to a thousand I gave up. I slowly got out of bed and quietly walked down the stairs. I sneaked into my kitchen and opened the refrigerator. I grabbed a water bottle, when I heard a knock on the door. Curious, I went over to the door and saw a white note on the floor. I picked it up and unfolded it and read: _The almond brown eyes, the way your black hair shined outside, little did you know that she loved you_ I suddenly heard a creak in the floor and I spun around and saw Neo.

"What's that?" he whispered pointing at the note

"Umm…" I started

"Just let me see it" he whispered

I hesitated and handed him the note. I watched his facial expression sadden. He realized it was about him.

"Why didn't you tell me she l-l-loved me?" he choked out

"I couldn't tell you, she wanted you to somehow figure it out yourself" I said "You only liked her as a friend anyway, so I didn't bother. I only just brought it up yesterday'

"Now there's nothing I can do about it" he whispered"For all we know she could have killed herself in that fire, because of me"

"Don't think like that Neo, don't put the blame on you" I whispered

"Then why do I feel so guilty, Nina? Why do I feel like if I said something, that she would still be here?" he said his eyes shinning in the darkness.

"It was an accident, a terrible accident" I said trying to reassure him, but honestly, I was reassuring myself. But all I could think of was the note on my nightstand and the note in Neo's hand. _Did somebody purposely start that fire? But who would want us dead?_ I thought I closed my eyes and I saw Abby. I saw her wild dirty blonde curls and her gleaming hazel eyes. Then I saw her as I saw her today, her skin all crisp from the fire her hair left in hideous clumps, and her eye missing. I felt the tears run down my cheeks as I remembered when Abby first told me about her feelings towards Neo…

_"Nina can I tell you something?" Abby asked nervously_

_"Sure, anything" I said_

_"I really really really really like Neo. I love everything about him. He just won't notice me" _

_"Well go for it" I said smiling" If you guys go out then we can double date! Just make sure you make it your goal" _

_"Okay. I vow that I will at least get kissed by Neo before I die" she said laughing_

That goal was never completed. I feel terrible that I didn't try harder to get them together. But there was just something that really annoyed me about the thought of Neo and Abby together. Then I felt someone spin me around, I gasped.

"Sorry you were kind of zoned out" Neo said

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just every time I close my eyes, I see her" I whispered

Neo immediately took me in his arms and I quietly sobbed on his shoulder. I felt my tank top strap get wet; it took me a moment to realize that he was crying too. I hugged him tighter, to reassure him. I pulled away and sat down on the couch, and I patted the spot by me. Neo sat down by me, and I laid my head on his shoulder. He did the natural thing and laid his head on mine. I clicked on the radio and I slowly fell asleep.

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I woke up to the smell of coffee. I opened my eyes and saw that I was lying on top of Neo, my head lying on his chest. Neo had his arm around my waist and he was still sleeping peacefully. Then I heard someone start laughing.

I went to my room and changed into shorts and a tank top. I threw my smoked clothes in the laundry and slid under the covers. I closed my eyes and tired to get comfortable. I couldn't. I tried counting till I fell asleep, once I got to a thousand I gave up. I slowly got out of bed and quietly walked down the stairs. I sneaked into my kitchen and opened the refrigerator. I grabbed a water bottle, when I heard a knock on the door. Curious, I went over to the door and saw a white note on the floor. I picked it up and unfolded it and read: _The almond brown eyes, the way your black hair shined outside, little did you know that she loved you_ I suddenly heard a creak in the floor and I spun around and saw Neo.

"What's that?" he whispered pointing at the note

"Umm…" I started

"Just let me see it" he whispered

I hesitated and handed him the note. I watched his facial expression sadden. He realized it was about him.

"Why didn't you tell me she l-l-loved me?" he choked out

"I couldn't tell you, she wanted you to somehow figure it out yourself" I said "You only liked her as a friend anyway, so I didn't bother. I only just brought it up yesterday'

"Now there's nothing I can do about it" he whispered"For all we know she could have killed herself in that fire, because of me"

"Don't think like that Neo, don't put the blame on you" I whispered

"Then why do I feel so guilty, Nina? Why do I feel like if I said something, that she would still be here?" he said his eyes shinning in the darkness.

"It was an accident, a terrible accident" I said trying to reassure him, but honestly, I was reassuring myself. But all I could think of was the note on my nightstand and the note in Neo's hand. _Did somebody purposely start that fire? But who would want us dead?_ I thought I closed my eyes and I saw Abby. I saw her wild dirty blonde curls and her gleaming hazel eyes. Then I saw her as I saw her today, her skin all crisp from the fire her hair left in hideous clumps, and her eye missing. I felt the tears run down my cheeks as I remembered when Abby first told me about her feelings towards Neo…

_"Nina can I tell you something?" Abby asked nervously_

_"Sure, anything" I said_

_"I really really really really like Neo. I love everything about him. He just won't notice me" _

_"Well go for it" I said smiling" If you guys go out then we can double date! Just make sure you make it your goal" _

_"Okay. I vow that I will at least get kissed by Neo before I die" she said laughing_

That goal was never completed. I feel terrible that I didn't try harder to get them together. But there was just something that really annoyed me about the thought of Neo and Abby together. Then I felt someone spin me around, I gasped.

"Sorry you were kind of zoned out" Neo said

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just every time I close my eyes, I see her" I whispered

Neo immediately took me in his arms and I quietly sobbed on his shoulder. I felt my tank top strap get wet; it took me a moment to realize that he was crying too. I hugged him tighter, to reassure him. I pulled away and sat down on the couch, and I patted the spot by me. Neo sat down by me, and I laid my head on his shoulder. He did the natural thing and laid his head on mine. I clicked on the radio and I slowly fell asleep.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I woke up to the smell of coffee. I opened my eyes and saw that I was lying on top of Neo, my head lying on his chest. Neo had his arm around my waist and he was still sleeping peacefully. Then I heard someone start laughing.

I went to my room and changed into shorts and a tank top. I threw my smoked clothes in the laundry and slid under the covers. I closed my eyes and tired to get comfortable. I couldn't. I tried counting till I fell asleep, once I got to a thousand I gave up. I slowly got out of bed and quietly walked down the stairs. I sneaked into my kitchen and opened the refrigerator. I grabbed a water bottle, when I heard a knock on the door. Curious, I went over to the door and saw a white note on the floor. I picked it up and unfolded it and read: _The almond brown eyes, the way your black hair shined outside, little did you know that she loved you_ I suddenly heard a creak in the floor and I spun around and saw Neo.

"What's that?" he whispered pointing at the note

"Umm…" I started

"Just let me see it" he whispered

I hesitated and handed him the note. I watched his facial expression sadden. He realized it was about him.

"Why didn't you tell me she l-l-loved me?" he choked out

"I couldn't tell you, she wanted you to somehow figure it out yourself" I said "You only liked her as a friend anyway, so I didn't bother. I only just brought it up yesterday'

"Now there's nothing I can do about it" he whispered"For all we know she could have killed herself in that fire, because of me"

"Don't think like that Neo, don't put the blame on you" I whispered

"Then why do I feel so guilty, Nina? Why do I feel like if I said something, that she would still be here?" he said his eyes shinning in the darkness.

"It was an accident, a terrible accident" I said trying to reassure him, but honestly, I was reassuring myself. But all I could think of was the note on my nightstand and the note in Neo's hand. _Did somebody purposely start that fire? But who would want us dead?_ I thought I closed my eyes and I saw Abby. I saw her wild dirty blonde curls and her gleaming hazel eyes. Then I saw her as I saw her today, her skin all crisp from the fire her hair left in hideous clumps, and her eye missing. I felt the tears run down my cheeks as I remembered when Abby first told me about her feelings towards Neo…

_"Nina can I tell you something?" Abby asked nervously_

_"Sure, anything" I said_

_"I really really really really like Neo. I love everything about him. He just won't notice me" _

_"Well go for it" I said smiling" If you guys go out then we can double date! Just make sure you make it your goal" _

_"Okay. I vow that I will at least get kissed by Neo before I die" she said laughing_

That goal was never completed. I feel terrible that I didn't try harder to get them together. But there was just something that really annoyed me about the thought of Neo and Abby together. Then I felt someone spin me around, I gasped.

"Sorry you were kind of zoned out" Neo said

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just every time I close my eyes, I see her" I whispered

Neo immediately took me in his arms and I quietly sobbed on his shoulder. I felt my tank top strap get wet; it took me a moment to realize that he was crying too. I hugged him tighter, to reassure him. I pulled away and sat down on the couch, and I patted the spot by me. Neo sat down by me, and I laid my head on his shoulder. He did the natural thing and laid his head on mine. I clicked on the radio and I slowly fell asleep.

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I woke up to the smell of coffee. I opened my eyes and saw that I was lying on top of Neo, my head lying on his chest. Neo had his arm around my waist and he was still sleeping peacefully. Then I heard someone start laughing.

It was been a few days since that day at the mall, and we were getting ready for Abby's funeral. I had slipped on some dress pants with a gray t-shirt and a black vest. I waited for Neo and Chang to come down, so I sat on the couch. Chang came down first, dressed in a black dress shirt and gray slacks. Then came down Neo, with a black dress shirt, black pants, and a white tie. We all nodded, because we knew what we had to do today. We had to make Abby's funeral amazing, just like she was. We decided to keep her funeral small, with just family and Neo, me, Chang, and Jon. Neo and I made a slideshow with Abby's favorite song. I had the disk in my hand, and I walked out to the car. We drove to the church where we found lots of people sitting in seats. I saw Abby's dad in the front, his shoulders hunched. I heard a woman sobbing towards the back of the room. Neo and I joined Jon in the second row. I watched as Abby's father went up to the pulpit, clearing his throat.

"You all know why you're here, it all started with fire. My daughter was terrorized by an accidental fire. She was still filled with so much life and was gone before I knew it. She never got the chance to show her true beauty. She will be missed… so much… I'll just miss her so much"

He wiped the tears away from his eyes and stepped down from the pulpit, I took a deep breath. I stood up with Jon and Neo by my side and I made my way to the pulpit. Then I said,

"Fire destroys everything. The fire's touch leaves a scar and the damage will always be there. Abby was unfortunately, at the wrong place at the wrong time. Her life was cut off short but... Abby wouldn't want to be remembered for how she died, she would want to be remembered by hoe much fun she was and how she affected our lives. Jon, Neo, and I made a slideshow of her.

I began the slideshow with her favorite song "The first cut is the deepest" by Sheryl Crow. I watched picture after picture of Abby smiling, laughing, and just being well… her. I felt my cheeks get wet again. Then I looked towards the back, to the woman crying in the back row. I first noticed her crazy dirty blonde hair, and then I thought back to something Abby had told me years ago…

_Abby and I were in her room doing homework and trash talking our 7__th__ grade teachers. Then I thought of something I was dying to know, I hesitated before asking,_

_"Abby, did your mom die?"_

_I watched Abby hesitate before answering, and take a deep breath._

_"My mom disappeared when I was seven, she left just randomly. NO note, no letter, no call. Nothing. She left without a trace. There's nothing I can do about it, but I still do wonder about her._

_"So does she look like you?" I asked._

_"Where do you think I got my wild hair from?" she smirked._

I gazed intently at the woman in the back, and then I heard silence. The slideshow must have ended. We were just about to end in prayer, when the woman stood up and said,

"Wait, I have something to say" she walked up towards the front. She stood up at the pulpit, and pushed her hair away from her face.

"You're all probably wondering who I am, and why I'm here. If you had known Abby well, you would know that her mother disappeared nine years ago. Well, I am her mother"

I heard gasps throughout the church, but she continued.

"I was kidnapped on my way to work nine years ago. I was just recently able to escape, and my memory wasn't what it should have been. Unfortunately it all came back to me when I saw my daughter claimed to be dead in the newspaper. I never got to tell Abby goodbye, as of many of you. She never was told what happened, and now she never will. I love her so much, always have, and always will.

I watched Abby's mom step down from the pulpit, and hesitantly walked over to Abby's dad. She looked at him with sadness in her eyes, but Mr. Burgess quickly stood up and embraced her. I heard them whisper to each other "I missed you so much". They were separated for so long, but sadly it took a death for them to meet up again. Their own daughter's death to be exact, but at least they were together again.

The preacher came up to the pulpit and asked to bow our heads in prayer and I joined hands with Neo and Jon. I closed my eyes and listened to the preacher,

"Dear Lord, We have all learned today how easy it is to have a life taken away from us. Give us strength to go on, and help us mourn this terrible loss. Please take care of Abby when she ascends to you. Amen"

We let go of each others hands and Neo, Chang and I made our way to my car. I didn't feel any emotion while driving home, I just felt numb. I didn't feel like I was even here, I felt like I was looking at myself from above. The pictures of Abby still echoed through my mind. I drove into my driveway, and turned off the engine. I laid my head down on the steering wheel, I just couldn't move. There was just one thing on my mind; I just couldn't figure out if Abby's death was an accident or not. Then I heard a knock on my window, I screamed.

"Hey it's ok, it's just me" said Neo "I was just wondering if your going to get out"

I nodded and got out of the car, and we both went inside and sat on the couch. Then I heard the telephone ring, and Chang answered it. Neo and I waited for him to come back, and then Jon came in. When Chang came back his face was pale.

"What's wrong?" I asked

"Her body is gone, Abby's body is gone" Chang whispered.

It was like time stopped. I mean how could Abby's be gone? Who would want her body? This was just too weird.

"How is her body mi-miss-missing?" Neo stammered

"You know how we chose to have a closed casket right? Well the body was there when they set it up, but when they went to bury it later… it was gone" Chang explained.

"Why would someone want Abby's body?" Jon asked.

"I'm not sure, but this is getting weird" Chang said.

"Did you guys ever think that… that maybe the fire wasn't an accident? That somebody might have started it?" I asked

"It's not possible, if someone started the fire, they would have died in the fire" said Neo.

"Not if more than one person was doing the job" Jon mumbled.

"Don't tell me you believe her too, Jon" said Neo.

"Well it makes more sense to me; I mean what could have started the fire? We didn't have anything cooking and you don't have a fireplace. Nina and Abby went to get the food remember? The way I see it, someone had to intentionally start it" Jon explained.

I could tell Neo was stumped, so he remained silent. So was I, because Jon made a good point.

"What if somebody was actually trying to kill me? But instead Abby died? For all we know her death could be an accident that way" said Neo.

"Whoever it was could've been after you or Abby for all we know, it could have been any of us" I insisted "It's no ones fault Neo"

"Can we stop talking about this? Can we talking about something else please?" muttered Jon.

I saw that Jon felt very uncomfortable, because he was wringing his hands. I remembered he would only wring his hands when a subject came up that he didn't like talking about. He did that when he told me about his father…

_It was a hot July day, and my friends and I just finished our freshman year. Jon and I decided to go swimming at the lake down the street form Jon's house. This was the first time I ever swam with Jon since sixth grade. All the other times Neo, Abby, and I wanted to go swimming he would make up some excuse or just not come at all. I figured if Jon was swimming with me, that this was a big step for him. I had changed into my red bikini and waited by the lake. Then Jon came out from behind the tree and I gasped._

_There were scars all over his body, and I saw bruises sprinkled all over. The mark that really stood out from the rest was the one towards his hip bone; it looked as if he had been stabbed or something. I walked closer to him, and I gently turned him around. I saw the branches of belt marks melted into his back, I carefully touched the scars, and I felt Jon tense up. I turned him around to face me so I could see his chest again, I brushed my fingers against the deep scar at his hip. I looked up to him, with horror._

_"What happened to you?" I whispered._

_I saw him begin to wring his hands, and he finally said,_

_"My family is pretty messed up, well at least my father is. He beat me throughout my seventh grade year. He beat me, whipped me, and he stabbed me in the summer. I was two years ago, but these scars remind me that the past is real. I try not to think about it, but I can't go hiding myself for much longer. That's why my dad left in eighth grade, because we finally out him in jail._

_I immediately felt the need to hug him, to comfort him. Even thought it happened two years ago, I still asked,_

_"So your mom just let this happen?" _

_"He did stuff to her too, way worse than that he did with me, it was a little bit more… sexual" he said blushing. _

_"Oh. I wish I knew what to say. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"_

_"Because I was afraid. I was afraid that you would think that your boyfriend wasn't as tough as you thought he was. I was afraid to tell anybody. I couldn't go swimming because people would see the scars. You're the first person I've told because well… I love you Nina"_

I remember that memory always because it was when Jon was serious with me, the first time he told me he loved me, and it deepened our relationship. Everything was so much easier back then, before Jon started drinking, before Jon because more depressed, it was before Abby was murdered. I decided it wasn't an accident, someone had started that fire. I just wasn't sure who. No matter what the others say, I still don't think it was an accidental fire.

"I just don't get how Abby's body is missing or why someone would want it" Neo stated.

"That is what doesn't make sense, the body is so messed up anyway" Jon mumbled.

"Who would want a burned up body?" I asked.

"All I know is, it's got to be some psycho" Neo stated "I mean that goes to a funeral and steals the body right from the casket?"

"Someone with a good reason, and the right motive" I replied.

"I can't think of anyone who would hate us that much besides Lindsay, but I don't think she would kill Abby or even take her body for that matter" said Jon, frowning "She's the craziest person we've pranked"

"She did make me fall, and I landed on the ground pretty hard" I said, frowning at the memory.

"We never pranked her that bad. If we did, Abby was never with is. She always stayed behind, because she didn't like Lindsay. Lindsay always made fun of her because she was so quiet and never pranked" Neo said "If Lindsay killed her; she really is screwed up because Abby never did anything to her. Abby was more mature"

"We could just talk to Lindsay about it, we could be talking about this all day, but we will never know if we don't ask" Jon murmured.

Neo and I just nodded in agreement; we all walked out of my house and across the street. Neo's house was still in ashes, they haven't bothered to clean it up yet. We walked up to Lindsay's door and knocked, the door creaked open, but no one was there. I slowly walked in and the guys followed. We had only been in her house once when we were in sixth grade because Lindsay told her mom about the prank we pulled on her, but we never got in trouble. We quietly walked up the stairs to Lindsay's room and knocked on the door. No one answered the door so I knocked again, a little harder this time. Lindsay still didn't answer. Neo slowly opened the door, we heard no protesting. Jon went in first and Neo and I followed. I saw her at the computer, sitting in a chair.

"Lindsay, what the heck? Why didn't you answer when we knocked? Are you even listen- oh my god" I gasped.

I had walked over to face Lindsay to see if she was listening to me, when I saw her morbid face.

The long slit in her throat had caused the front of her shirt to be a dark horrifying red. The deep cut on her forehead caused her flawless face to be soaked in her blood. Her dark hair was caked to her face. I slowly touched the blood on her cheek, and it was almost dry. The one thing that really caught my eye was the message on her computer screen. "Secrets can kill, secrets can be deadly, and secrets can cause trouble. How much she longed to have her fingers going through his dark red hair, how much she wanted to tell him that she was falling for him. He didn't know because she kept it a secret. Look what happens when you keep secrets from people"

I was suddenly dumbstruck and very confused. Who was Lindsay having secret conversations with? Then when I read it a second time, I realize who the message was talking about. I looked over to Jon and he rubbed the back of his neck. I stared at him for a minute or so, looking into his eyes and I saw sadness.

Taking my eyes off of Jon, I looked at Lindsay's desk and saw her cell phone. I picked up her cell phone and want to her call log. As I looked at her dialed numbers and received calls, only one name showed over and over again: Jon's. I went to her text message Inbox, and saw loads of texts from Jon. I set her phone back on the table.

"Neo, can you umm drag Lindsay's chair toward her bed? I need to see something on her computer" I said motioning to Lindsay's corpse. Neo obeyed and hesitantly moved her to the bed. I grabbed the stool in the corner and sat at the computer desk. Conveniently her email site was open; and just like her cell phone, Jon's name appeared numerous times. I scrolled down to the bottom of the screen, to see that they started emailing each other last year, I scrolled back up to the most recent and I saw an advice forum confirmation email confirming that her topic " complicated friendship with someone I shouldn't be friends with" has been posted. I clicked on the link and it advanced me to her post. I read "I have a serious issue. This guy and I have known each other forever, and well for about five years, all him and his friends did was play pranks on me. This last year or so he and I have somehow been talking nonstop, because we can just understand each other. The only problem is he has a girlfriend, a girlfriend who he's been with for eight years. The more I talk to him and hang out with him, the more I seem to fall for him. His friends and his girlfriend really don't like me but he just likes me as a friend or maybe more. What should I do? I just cant seen to stay away from him and I know he feels the same about that at least" I exited out of it and looked at Jon, and he seemed to be nervous.

"Dude, what's going on?" Neo asked.

"We were just friends, honest. I just didn't know that she felt that way about me, I didn't cheat, I swear" Jon said.

"Why didn't you tell us? You could have told us instead of sneaking around with Lindsay" I said, calmly as I could.

"I really didn't think you guys would've understood. I just remember about a year ago, we threw a bunch of shaving cream filled balloons in her window. While you, Neo, and Abby were laughing, I looked at Lindsay look out of her window with the saddest look in her eyes. Her hair and clothes were covered in shaving cream and it looked like she was about to cry. So when we went home, I drove back to her house. I entered her room to see her room was massacred by shaving cream, and I saw Lindsay sitting on the floor in a little ball. When she noticed I was in the room, she looked up but then quickly covered her face again. Even though I only saw her face for a few seconds, I knew she had been crying. So I sat on the floor with her and I apologized to her. She started to cry again, but I calmed her down and she forgave me. After that night we just couldn't stop talking to each other and we became good friends" Jon explained.

"I still don't get why you could've at least told us after a month or two" Neo pointed out

"We all know you guys would've gotten mad and wouldn't be happy with it" Jon replied "Lindsay went through a lot and what we were doing to her was just making it worse"

"So all the times I called you, and you were busy at "work" you were with Lindsay?" I said, crossing my arms "So you lied to me?"

"Yeah I did, but think of it like a Romeo and Juliet situation but instead its forbidden friendship. That's the way I saw it" Jon said looking at his shoes.

"Guys, it shouldn't matter now. Lindsay's dead and you guys aren't together anymore, it's in the past" Neo ordered "Just get yourselves together, the police are probably going to question us"

Neo called 9-1-1 and explained what happened and when the police and ambulance got there, they took us three to the station.


	2. Watch me bleed

I woke up to find Neo yelling my name, and then my eyes flutter open. I heard Neo sigh in relief,

"Thank God your okay, you passed out" He explained "You were unconscious for a few minutes there"

"What happened?" I mumbled

"Lindsey is an idiot that's what, she got a real kick of pushing me while I was holding you up" he said angrily.

"I didn't think she'd get hurt so badly or pass out for that matter!" Lindsey exclaimed

"Just leave" he said, narrowing his eyes.

"You guys got what you dished out on me, so that's what you get" she said, walking off

"Grow up!" he yelled

I started to get up, but I was instantly brought back down by the pain spreading on my arm and shoulder.

"Owwwww" I moaned

'"We better get you cleaned up, your getting blood all over my driveway" he said, grinning

He picked me up bridal style and he kicked open the door. He laid me down gently on his couch and went up to the bathroom to get the first aid kit. I ripped my t-shirt off, gasping at the pain, revealing my tiny tank top. When Neo came back into the room his eyes widened. Then Neo snapped out of his trance.

"Wow that shirt really took some damage" he said picking up my bloodied t-shirt

He set my bloody shirt back down and sat by me on the couch. I watched Neo's eyes focused on my injuries, he always looked cute when he was concentrating.

"It looks like your back took some damage too, umm… but for me to clean it I need your tank top out of the way" he said blushing

I stared at him in shock, he expected me to sit there in my bra while he dressed my wounds? _Oh and that doesn't sound sexual at all, but Neo isn't Jon so it's not that big of a deal._ I slowly stripped off my tank top, exposing my bra.

Neo blushed again, but started carefully cleaning my cuts. I winced a few times when Neo got to the deeper cuts. He worked very fast and careful, like he saw my pain. The he got out the gauze,

"These cuts are too big for bandages, so umm I'm going to let you do it in the bathroom" he said handing me the gauze

I'm glad he did suggest that I take my bra off in front of him. I think that's going past the guy-girl friendship line. My back and arms still tingled form his delicate touch. Then I went into the bathroom and began unhooking my bra, and I let it drop to the floor. I carefully started wrapping the gauze around my arm, shoulder, and back. I winced a few times when I stretched too much. When I was done I put my bra back on and went to the living room. I saw Neo was sitting there wit my other shirt in his hands. Once Neo saw me he closed his eyes and handed me my shirt. _At least he respects me_ I thought. I laced my arms in the shirt holes but when I tried to slip it over my head I cried out in pain. Neo instantly came to my aid. He hesitantly pulled my shirt down, and then his fingers brushed my stomach slightly, I couldn't stop feeling the electricity.

"Okay" he said nervously, his eyes not reaching mine.

"Dude, its okay. Somebody had to do it and it was you" I said reassuring him

"No I just didn't realize how toned you were" he said with a flirtatious smile

"Don't become Mr. Horny now" I teased

"Let's change the subject" he said laughing

Then I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, it was a text message from Jon _Nina, I really need to see you tonight. Can you come here in a half hour please? _

"That was a text from Jon" I said

"I'm going to guess that he wants you over at his house soon, right? I also bet you're not sure if you should go or stay here with me" he said knowingly

"You seriously know me to well. He sounded urgent, but do you mind if I go for a while? I'll be back around eleven" I said

"Just promise me you'll be here for part of the all nighter, okay? Now go" he said smiling

"I promise I'll be back, if not you can knock out my kneecaps" I said laughing

"I wouldn't do that, do you need a ride?" he asked grinning

"I guess I didn't think about that. So is that a offer?" I said

"Yes, now come on" he mumbled

We jumped into Neo's car and I turned on the radio. I started softly singing to the song that was on, and then Neo started humming.

"You know what we should do?" he asked

"What?" I replied

"We should start a humming-air guitar band" he said laughing "It would be a hit!"

"You think of the most random things" I said giggling

"I have my talents" he said grinning

"Don't let an ego be one of them" I joked

Then Neo stopped in front of Jon's house.

"I'll catch you later; just call me when you need a ride back. I'm going to go rent some horror movies"

"Awesome, I'll catch you later" I said getting out of the car

I walked up to Jon's door and knocked. Jon opened the door and smiled. _Thank God he's sober_ I thought.

"Hey" I said softly

"Hey" he replied

"So why was it so urgent that I come here?" I asked

"Can't a guy hang out with his girlfriend on a Friday night? I think that's what couples do" he said smiling

"I guess" I said, faking a smile

Jon and I have been together since he asked me to be his girlfriend in 3rd grade. When I said yes I honestly didn't think it would last this long. He was my first kiss and my first love, I loved him for how down to earth. He was cute too, with his piercing green eyes and dark red hair. Unlike Neo he was white like Abby and me. Neo was Japanese with his almond brown eyes and jet black hair. Like I was saying, Jon and I have been together for a while. This past year or so has been different because Jon now wants sex and is drinking a lot now. I'm lucky he's sober tonight.

"So are we going to hang out here? Or are we going out?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"I was thinking we could hang out up in my room" he said winking.

_Is that all I am now? His make out toy?_ I thought. He took my hand and led me up the stairs to his room. I sat down on his bed, and then Jon sat down beside me and held my cheek in his hand. Then he kissed me, and then placed his hand in the back of my neck to deepen the kiss. Then it became more and more intense until he gently set me down on the bed. I felt pain shoot up through my back. I tried holding it back, but then Jon's hand traveled down to my belt buckle. I pushed his hand away and broke away from his.

"Stop" I said, firmly.

Then he got up too and sighed.

"Why are you always stopping me? Don't you want it as much as I do?" He said squirming.

"No, I don't Jon. I just can't risk it, I'm not ready" I said crossing my arms.

"I have protection though" he said holding the condom up.

"Those things can slip off and break. I'm sorry Jon but I'm not risking it" I said

"God Nina, you can be such a prude sometimes" he mumbled

I felt my blood start to boil; I hated that word so much.

"I'm not a prude! It's called being smart and careful, maybe you should try it!" I said coldly

Then I quickly got up and left his room. I nearly tripped over the stairs on my way down, but I soon got out the door. I ran down his driveway to the sidewalk, and I started walking towards the stop sign at the end of the block. I flipped open my phone and dialed Neo's number. He answered on the first ring,

"Calling so soon?" he asked.

"I just had to get out, I'll tell you later. Can you pick me up at the stop sign near Jon's house?" I asked.

"I'll be there in a few minutes" he said, and then he hung up.

I sat down on the curb and waited for Neo. I picked at my ripped jeans for a few minutes and then I saw headlights. I jumped into Neo's car, and put on my seatbelt.

"So what happened? You were only there for an hour" he said, looking concerned.

"He went way too far this time; he tried to get me to have sex again. I said no to him and he called me a prude!" I said angrily.

"Was he drunk?" he asked.

"No, he was stone cold sober" I said, playing with my hands.

"You need to tell him what you told me at the park. This is really starting to get out of hand Nina" Neo said shaking his head. "Maybe I'll go over there and give him something else to think about"

"No, don't!" I pleaded "I don't want you to get involved in this mess"

"Fine, but were going to throw an egg at his house" he said smirking.

"Ok, but only one" I said smiling.

"Now there's a smile" he said

We kept on driving, and then we went past Neo's house. I gave him a confused look

"We're going to the ultimate cheer up place" he said grinning. "Just close your eyes, until I say open them, okay?"

I did what I was told and I closed my eyes. As we kept on driving I felt like I was on air. I felt the cool breeze brush my face. Then I felt the car come to a sudden stop.

"Don't open your eyes just yet" Neo ordered "Now unbuckle your seatbelt"

I did as he asked, then I heard my car door open. I felt Neo's hands grab my shoulders and he directed me out of the car. Then Neo gently drag me by my arm and I slowly started walking. I heard another door open and then I heard it close.

"Okay Nina" Neo said "Now open your eyes"

I suddenly opened my eyes, amazed at what was in front of me.


	3. The garden

I was amazed by the glass building in front of me, trees were everywhere, and I could see little things moving inside. It was a garden, and it was beautiful. I stepped a little closer and saw that the little things were butterflies. Neo knew I had a thing for butterflies. I looked at Neo and smiled,

"Did I mention that you are the most amazing person ever?"

"I knew this would make you smile" Neo said

"How did you find this place?" I asked

"Well, I think it's called the newspaper" he said laughing

"Did this place just open up?" I asked

"Actually it really opens tomorrow, but there having a midnight viewing, and seeing that its 12:04 I thought I'd take you" he said

"Your way too nice to me, you know that?" I said "C'mon lets go"

I went over and grabbed his hand and ran to the garden. We burst through the doors and looked around. There were butterflies everywhere, so many colors, it was mesmerizing.

"Hey Nina, come back to Earth" he said poking me "Earth to Nina, please come back"

"Sorry, it's just so amazing. Thank you" I said hugging him

"Maybe I should do this stuff more often" he said laughing

"Maybe you should" I said, winking

I awkwardly looked around and then a butterfly landed on my shoulder. I watched the butterfly make its way on top of my head, I moved just a little bit but it flew away.

"So now that I've totally shown my feminine side, are you ready for a horror fest?" Neo asked

"Ok, let's go" I said moving towards the door. I pushed at the door, but it wouldn't budge.

"Umm… Neo?" I asked. "The door won't open"

"Let me try it" he said pushing against the door, but it still wouldn't heave.

"Crap" I mumbled.

Then Neo threw himself into the door, but the door was still closed.

"I swear this door was unlocked when we came in" he said rubbing his shoulder.

"Did somebody lock it when we came it?" I asked

"I don't know, but we need somebody to get us out because there's no one else here" Neo said

I took out my phone and dialed Jon's number and I gave the phone to Neo. He gave me a confused look.

"I'm not talking to that boy, you talk to him. He's the only person that would be available right now" I said crossing my arms

"I know that, but what if he's drunk? That could be dangero—"Neo said to me, then Jon picked up.

"Hey Jon, its Neo… Can you do me a favor? Nina and I are stuck at the Garden, someone locked us in… No you don't have to talk to her, just come and unlock the door…. Thanks" he said and hung up.

"So I take it he doesn't want to see me right now?" I said angrily" Because I don't want too be some sex toy?"

"Well he didn't say that…exactly" Neo winced" he just thought you would go screaming if he touched you, something about being prude"

"He is so immature" I said "When he gets here, he's going to see "Prude Nina" fist in his face"

I swear I was seeing red; Jon never made me this angry before. I felt like Jon had just put up with me all these years just to wait now to forward things. After all these years, it came down to this, us fighting... again. The word prude had always ticked me off, ever since 8th grade.

_All the girls in my gym class were talking about their first kisses while I changed my clothes as fast as I could. I still hadn't felt ready to get kissed yet, so I always avoid the subject. Then all the girls in my locker row turned towards me._

_"So Nina, how was your first kiss? I bet it was Jon who kissed you right?" one of them asked_

_"Oh, umm…. Well" I started_

_"Are you saying you and Jon haven't kissed yet? It's been four years!" Another girl exclaimed_

_I fell silent not knowing what to say. The girls seemed to have dropped the subject, so I went to the gym. When all the other girls came out of the locker room they were all huddled together. I watched them nudge each other and whisper. When I walked over closer I made out the words "Nina is a prude"_

The news of my non existent first kiss spread through the whole school. Soon I had the whole 8th grade whispering, besides my friends. But the word always stuck with me.

I suddenly heard the exit door open and I saw Jon quickly look in. His eyes settled on me and he quickly darted out. I ran out the door and ran after him,

"Jon you better listen and you better listen well" I shouted

I watched Jon hesitantly turn around, his eyes looking at the ground. He may not be looking, but he was listening.

"Jon, being prude and being smart are two different things. I choose being smart and actually not taking a risk for once. I'm honestly just not ready for that next step. If all you want from me is to be your little sex toy then…then I don't know if this will work out" I said coldly

I saw Jon's eyes widen and his jaw drop.

"Nina, is this all because I want us to be even more together? Is that was this is all about?" he stated

"To top it off well, your drinking is out of control! I hardly ever see you sober anymore, if you don't stop your going to..." I started

"Just finish it Nina" he interrupted, his jaw clenching

"You're going to end up like your father"

Jon's eyes suddenly filled with rage.

"I WILL NEVER BE LIKE HIM!" he yelled "I'm not going to be so drunk that I hit my family, and the ones I care about. I'm not going to pass out every time I come home and I will never be him" he said coldly

I hesitated then said "Why don't you take a look at yourself now?"

I saw Neo over by the sidelines, his faced covered in shock. I motioned over to his car; Neo instantly got the message and headed over to his car. When I heard Neo's engine running, I ran over to his car. Before I jumped in I looked over my shoulder at Jon, I saw that he didn't even turn around.

"C'mon Nina, we need to leave" Neo urged.

I quickly got in the car and Neo drove off towards his house. The whole ride home was silent, because I think we were both still in shock, not knowing what to say. I know I was. We finally pulled into the Neo's driveway and quickly got out and entered his house.

The first thing I did when I entered through the door was go to "my room" I carefully closed the door and threw myself onto the bed, totally forgetting about my bandaged shoulder and arm. I cried out in pain. I heard Neo quickly come up the stairs and open the door.

"Are you okay?" he asked, putting his hand on my knee

"I just can't believe I said that, I don't know what came over me. No one has talked to him that way before" I whispered

"You did what you had to do, Nina. Don't turn back now" he said

"Then why do I feel so bad?" I asked, tears filling my eyes.

"You always feel guilty when it comes to Jon, you and I both know that" he said brushing my tears aside" this will be over soon, you guys never fight long"

"Neo, you don't get it, its always going to be like this" I muttered "He's always going to want more"

"I wish I knew more about being with someone, but I don't. I want to be helpful for you but I feel so useless" he said and sighed

Neo has never had a girlfriend, never been kissed, nothing. I just never realized that until now how lonely he must be. _Maybe I should bring up Abby now_ I thought

"I'm just waiting for someone meaningful" Neo said looking at the floor

"Well did you ever think… did you ever think about... Abby?" I asked nervously

I watched him hesitate before answering me,"She's great, but she's just not what I'm looking for. I just need to find somebody who understands me, you know?"

"That's too bad, you two could work" I choked out

"Are you okay/" he said laughing

"Yeah I'm fine" I lied

"So now that we are in a lighter mood, you ready for a all-night horror fest?" he asked

"I'm up for it" I said grinning

We sat down on the couch and started watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the ninth time and we both fell asleep.

I woke up to someone yelling in my ear.


	4. That's What You Get

I slowly opened my eyes to see that Neo had his arm around me and I had my head rested against his chest. Neo opened his eyes and he finally realized our position and his eyes widened.

I quickly got off the couch and brushed myself off.

"Jon what are you doing here?" I asked, yawning

"Well I was coming to apologize, but I see your sleeping with Neo!" Jon accused

I started laughing.

"Are you serious? You think I'm sleeping with Neo?" I said. Then I heard Neo quietly laughing behind me. "Neo and I were just watching a movie, and I guess that's how you found us like that, we were just sleeping"

"So you guys all cuddled up together is nothing? You guys always hanging out and staying over here is nothing? Wow if that's friendship, then we're not even good friends!" he said sarcastically

"Will you stop with the melodramatics? You're exaggerating Jon. You're blowing this way out of proportion" I said crossing my arms.

I saw him look at me his eyes narrowing, looking at my shoulder. Then Neo went to the kitchen.

"What happened to your arm?" he asked

"I scraped my shoulder and back on Neo's driveway after him I and I did a prank on Lindsey" I explained

"I'm guessing you didn't go to the hospital for those bandages" he said

"Of course I didn't. I fixed them up here" I replied

"I'm also guessing you had some help"

"Sure Neo helped me clean my cuts, but I did the bandages"

"There's no way that happened with just a t-shirt on" he said, his jaw tightening.

"I had my tank top on" I lied

"So he's seen more than me?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Because a guy's girlfriend isn't supposed to be hanging out with her guy friend more than him!" he exclaimed

"You are not going to believe me are you?" I asked

'No, not really" he said

"The get out now" I said coldly

Just then Neo came back into the room, his eyes directed at me and then at Jon. Then Jon stormed over to the door and left. As soon as the door slammed, Neo's head whipped around to look at me.

"What the heck just happened here?" he asked

"I would tell you if I knew" I mumbled

"You know he's got a bad temper, I bet in a hour he'll come back again" said Neo

"The thing is…I don't want him to come back. He has always been weird about our friendship, I could always tell. I can't give up our friendship for a relationship I'm miserable in. I just can't live like this, so I hope he never comes back" I said quietly

"I didn't realize your maturity level, Nina. I'm proud of you. I'm glad because I didn't want our friendship to end either" he said hugging me

"I have to end it with him: I said sighing

Just then my phone vibrated and I quickly pulled it out, it was another text message from Jon _Nina, can you please come so we can talk? Please meet me at the Elementary School in 10 minutes. _ I looked up at Neo.

"I have to end this; can I take your car?"

"He texted you didn't he? Here take them" he said tossing me his keys.

I walked out of the house and hurried to his car. I jumped in, put the keys in the ignition, and turned the radio up full blast. I had to clear my head before I talked to him. I drove into the elementary school parking lot. I saw Jon sitting on the swing, swinging back and forth. I got out of the car and slowly made my way to the swing set. I saw Jon look up at me sadly, as if he had been crying. _This is going to be harder than I thought_ I said to myself. The Jon asked,

"When will the fighting stop?"

"I don't think it will ever stop" I replied" It's always going to be like this"

"So what should we do about this then?" he asked

I looked at him sadly, "Maybe we should, you know break up?"

To my surprise he looked like he understood.

"That's probably the right thing to do; I don't want to leave you here when I go to Rehab" he said

"Your going to Rehab?" I asked, shocked

"I obviously have a drinking problem, Nina. After I found you this morning… I came here. I sometimes come here to think and a few hours ago I realized that all I've done lately is hurt you. I don't want to lose somebody else to my problems. I'm tired of affecting everyone else" he replied

"You didn't lose me completely, I'm just not your girlfriend anymore, but I'm still your friend" I said

"I leave in five days" he said

"Even if were not together, I'll still miss you" I whispered

He got up from his swing and hugged, then broke away. Then I laughed,

"You know what's sadly ironic?" I asked

"What?" he replied

"This is the place where we started, and this is the place where it ended" I said smiling sadly

We said goodbye and I drove to Neo's, still in shock. Once I got to his house, I opened the door and threw myself into the couch. Neo must have heard me and I heard him glide down the stairs.

"So what happened?" he asked nervously

"We broke up. He's going to r-r-rehab" I stuttered

"Rehab?" he said, raising his eyebrows

"He's leaving in five days" I whispered

Neo hesitated and he grimaced then he said,

"I think he's starting to realize that he has a problem which is good. We'll have him over tomorrow. Abby should be back, so she could come too. It will be a little party.

"Thank you" I replied

I walked up to my room and once my head hit the pillow, I feel asleep.

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I woke up to find myself all sweaty. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, and I stood up and tripped over something. Pain had traveled to my arm and back when I heard,

"Ow"

It looked like Neo had slept on the floor last night. Neo quickly got up and gently lifted me off the floor.

"Sorry. I didn't mean for you to trip over me" he apologized

"Why were you sleeping on the floor anyway?" I asked, sitting on the bed

"Well you went to sleep, and two hours later I was getting ready to go to bed. On the way to my room I came to your room to check on you and you were tossing and turning, I think you were having a nightmare because you were all sweaty. I was worried so I stayed in here" he explained.

"I remember my nightmare now"I muttered

"What happened?" he asked

"I don't understand it. I was in a all white room, all alone. Then there was this desk, this plain white desk. I walked up to the desk, and then there were people behind me, like in a line. There was this second line too, when I looked to my left there was this girl. The girl looked so innocent, so pure. When our eyes met, her face fell apart. All the skin on her face was gone and blood splattered the walls. The girl was gone, and then I woke up" I said shuddering "I just don't get it"

"That is a weird dream" he said "I've never heard of anything like it"

"It was so confusing"

"Hey, don't worry about it. It's just a dream" he reassured

"Dreams tell you something, I'm sure of it" I said, starting to get frustrated

"It's okay just go shower and I'll invite Jon and Abby over here'

'Fine, but I need to go over to my house first, okay?" I said

"Just promise to come back" he said smiling

I walked out of his room, rushed down the stairs, and I was out the door. I ran across the street to my house. I hesitantly opened the door a little and looked through the crack. The house seemed empty, so I hurried up the stairs to my room. I walked into my bathroom, stripped off my clothes, and I jumped in the shower. The warm water was soothing to the cuts on my body. I washed my hair and body quickly and stepped out of the shower. I wrapped a towel around myself and dried off. I took some gauze out of the medicine cabinet and gently wrapped my cuts. I went to my room and put some clothes on. I ran my fingers through my dirty blonde hair. I sighed as I saw the red streak in my hair was already fading away. I applied some eyeliner around my dark icy blue eyes that were always complimented. I threw on some shoes, but before I left I noticed a piece of scratch paper on my bed. I picked the note up and unfolded it. The note was unaddressed and said: _One by one you all shall die, each so fast in the blink of an eye, your death wont be so great, because of your last mistake. _I finished reading, and then I read it over and over again and again. I took the note and ran over to Neo's. I burst through the door and Neo suddenly got off the couch. I tossed him the note

"This is jacked up!" I exclaimed

"You can't be serious" he said "you actually believe this crap?'

"We'll see what Jon and Abby think of it" I said putting my hands on my hips.

Right on cue, we heard the doorbell ring, which was Abby of course. Abby was the only one out of us who actually was that polite. Neo let her in, and she sat on the couch beside me. I already saw her gawking at Neo, but this time I could see why. Neo was in a wife beater and sweatpants, so it showed off his muscles. The door then flew open with Jon walking in, He gave me a small smile, and then he sat in the recliner across from me. Abby gave me a questioning look, so I gave her a look that said 'I'll tell you later' The Neo cleared his throat.

"Okay so Nina came running over here with a note that was on her bed" he said passing the note to Abby and Jon. They both had the same reaction: confused.

"Is this a joke" asked Abby

"I have no idea" I said

"I would have to say that we watch our backs" Jon suggested

"So now that that's done. Let's get this party started!" Neo said, breaking the tension

'Nina and I will get some food form the gas station down the block" she said

Abby grabbed my wrist, and once we were out of Neo's front yard she said,

"So why did Jon sit with you like he usually does? He usually greets you with a kiss or at least a hug. What's going on?"

I told her about what happened with Jon at his place, leaving the parts out about Neo and me.

"Wow. Seven years…gone" was all she could say

"We both understood that it was going to happen sooner or later" I mumbled

The rest of the way to the gas station was silent. We quietly grabbed food from the aisles and went toward the cash register to pay for it. With bags in our arms, we walked quickly back to Neo's. Once we got there we threw the food on the table.

"Hey guys, so Jon and I have a theory on who may have went you that note, Nina"

"Who?" Abby and I said in unison.

"I think Lindsey is trying to freak us out" Jon said

"Maybe we should well I don't know, ask her?" I stated

"I'll stay here and set up the food" Abby said

"Okay, we should be right back" Neo said

So we hurried out of the house and made our way to Lindsey's window. I carefully chucked a small rock at her window. She immediately opened her window.

"What do you want now?" she hissed

"Did you send me this?" I said holding out the note towards her

"Let me see that" she said reaching out

I didn't offer for me to be lifted up again because I was already a casualty of being lifted to her window. Jon gently gave Neo a boost toward Lindsey. Lindsey took the note out of Neo's hands. I felt a burning sensation in my throat, I tried to ignore it.

"I didn't write this" she said with confusion in her eyes

I sighed, sadly I believed her.

Then I finally realized why my throat was burning, and I began to cough violently.

Something was on fire.


	5. Emergency

The smoke smell was overpowering. I felt like I was gagging because the smoke was the strong. It took me a moment to realize that it was Neo's house that was on fire. Chang came running out of the flaming house, screaming loudly, because his arm was on fire. Jon quickly stripped off his sweatshirt and pat down on Chang's arm, diffusing the flame. I looked around him, searching for Abby.

"Where's Abby?" I shouted.

"You mean she's not with you guys?" Chang said wincing "I didn't have time to check upstairs, because it was already engulfed in flames"

"Oh…my…God. Abby's still up there, she must be in my room then…" Neo broke off.

We all hurried to the side of the burning house, where Neo's room was. The smoke was thicker and I could barely breathe now. I heard a shrill scream and saw something fall out of his window, covered in flames. It wasn't something, it was someone. That someone was Abby.

Abby's body was terrorized by the fire. Jon quickly used his sweatshirt again and patted down the flames. The skin on Abby's body had been deeply burned and you could see her bones in certain places. Her gorgeous curly hair was left in hideous clumps, and one of her eyes was missing. I was about to check her pulse, but Neo grabbed my hand so I wouldn't burn my fingers. I did it anyway, her skin burned but I kept my fingers firm on her throat. Abby's pulse was barely going. I flipped open my phone and dialed 911 and told them where I was, and they said they were on their way.

Neo's house was in ashes, just a few black walls standing. The fire truck and ambulance had just arrived. Jon directed them to Abby's body. I watched them put her on the stretcher and strapped an oxygen mask on her damaged face. Chang and Neo jumped in and they were off to the hospital.

I watched them leave, and I broke down in tears. I realized that Abby's not going to make it; she's probably going to die from the fire. I hugged myself, feeling myself shivering even though there was a scorching fire behind me. I was feeling so much pain, and then I felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around my waist.

"We need to get out of here" Jon whispered in my ear"The news people are here and they're coming this way"

I nodded and we hurried into my car, I handed Jon my keys, because I couldn't drive right now. We drove to the hospital in silence, but I had to break the silent.

"So are you still going to rehab?" I asked.

"I'm going to delay it; I know that I need to stay here"

"Okay" I whispered

Jon parked the car and we ran into the hospital. We burst through the glass doors and pushed our way through the mad rush of people. We sprinted to the receptionist's desk and asked for where Neo and Chang's room was. We asked where Abby was, but she said the doctor would explain. We made our way up to Chang's room, Chang's arm was wrapped up and then a doctor came in. He asked to talk to me, Jon, and Neo in the hallway and we obediently followed. I could see the doctor was trying to think of good words, because his hand was on the back of his neck. He took and a deep breath and began,

"We just got out of surgery with Abby. We tried everything, skin graphs, and surgery. She had way too much fire exposure to her body, her lungs were pretty beat up already and her heart was too. We put her in surgery right away, but she stopped breathing in the middle of it. We tried to revive her, but nothing worked. I'm sorry…but she didn't make it"

He quickly turned around and started walking, as he walked away, his footsteps got louder. I felt this deep crushing pain in my chest and I sunk to the floor. I felt like I fell in broken glass, like I was bleeding everywhere. Then my tears came, and I quietly sobbed. I looked up at Neo and then at Jon their faces pale white. Neo's eyes were glossy and Jon's eyes were filled with sadness. I saw they snapped out of their trance and sat down beside me; they both took one of my hands and intertwined their fingers with mine. The tears kept flowing and flowing, it was starting to burn my eyes. I unlocked my fingers from Neo and Jon's and wiped my tears with my sleeve and I stood up. Then Jon and Neo got up also and we went back into Chang's room, from the look on Chang's face I could see that he had heard. The a question hit me, and I turned to Neo and asked,

'Where are you guys going to stay now? Your house is burnt to the ground"

"I guess we'll have to leave New Jersey to go live with our Aunt in Nevada till our house is remade" Chang replied sadly

"So you guys would have to fly across the country?" I choked out

"Sadly, yes" Neo said "She's our closest relative, all our other relatives live in Japan"

I felt a new set of tears burn my eyes, and then I found hope when I thought of an idea

"Why don't you guys stay with me? We have plenty of room and my parents are never home. Please?" I begged

"You're sure it's not a problem?" Chang asked" Because I don't want to intrude or anything"

"It wont be a problem" I said "It will also be a lot cheaper then flying to Nevada"

"True" Neo agreed

So we checked Chang out and Jon took me, Chang, and Neo to my house. We all got out of Jon's car and walked into my house. When we entered the house I saw my parents sitting on the couch staring at the television.

"Where were you today?" my mom asked

"I was just hanging around today" I said, feeling shaky.

"That's a load of bull, Nina" my dad slurred

_Great. Now he chooses to get drunk for once in his life_

My dad turned the TV louder so I could hear,

_Hello and I'm Gwen Brocket for Channel Six news. Reports came from fellow neighbors that a mysterious fire burned down a house today. The people who lived there, Neo and Chang Chou managed to escape the fire quickly. Sadly one of their friends wasn't so lucky and was suffocated from the fire. Her name was Abby Burgess, 16 years old. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. The others Jon Adams and Nina Rosely were outside of the house when this happened so they were safe. How this mysterious fire started, we will let you in on this soon, now back to the weather"_

"Honey, this has been playing for hours, you don't need to lie" assured my mother.

My mother was always the busy mom, always trying to get everything done and it was always more then she could manage. She was really never there for me, she was off at work. My dad on the other hand just stayed at work, he barely came home. He was always on these mysterious conference trips and would be gone for days. It used to worry me, but I gave up on caring a few years back. We don't even celebrate Mother and Fathers day, and they've never been there for my birthday either, 7 years in a row. I seriously just gave up caring.

Then I just felt this rage burst out of me, it was like I could bottle it up anymore.

"Fine. One of my best friends died today. She was tortured for god knows how long in a crazy fire. I don't even know how it started or why it happened. My lungs are still hurting and my throat burns like I'm in hell. You happy?"

"Why would we be happy that someone died?" my father said

"Because you never around to care! Speaking of which Neo and Chang are staying here until their house is rebuilt" I said

"So you're not going to even bother to ask our permission?" my mother said, venom twisting around her words.

"It's not like you're here anyways" I said coldly.

So we walked up the stairs and I directed them to the guest room, next to my room. I was about to head to my room, when realization struck me.

"You guys have no clothes!" I exclaimed

"I'm pretty sure I'm wearing clothes right now, or this would be very awkward" Neo said, cracking a small smile

"You're funny. I mean you have no more extra clothes" I said

"Then I guess we have to go shopping tomorrow" Chang mumbled

"Okay, we'll have to go tomorrow then" I said yawning "I'm going to try to get some sleep. Goodnight"

"Goodnight" they echoed

I went to my room and changed into shorts and a tank top. I threw my smoked clothes in the laundry and slid under the covers. I closed my eyes and tired to get comfortable. I couldn't. I tried counting till I fell asleep, once I got to a thousand I gave up. I slowly got out of bed and quietly walked down the stairs. I sneaked into my kitchen and opened the refrigerator. I grabbed a water bottle, when I heard a knock on the door. Curious, I went over to the door and saw a white note on the floor. I picked it up and unfolded it and read: _ The almond brown eyes, the way your black hair shined outside, little did you know that she loved you_ I suddenly heard a creak in the floor and I spun around and saw Neo.

"What's that?" he whispered pointing at the note

"Umm…" I started

"Just let me see it" he whispered

I hesitated and handed him the note. I watched his facial expression sadden. He realized it was about him.

"Why didn't you tell me she l-l-loved me?" he choked out

"I couldn't tell you, she wanted you to somehow figure it out yourself" I said "You only liked her as a friend anyway, so I didn't bother. I only just brought it up yesterday'

"Now there's nothing I can do about it" he whispered"For all we know she could have killed herself in that fire, because of me"

"Don't think like that Neo, don't put the blame on you" I whispered

"Then why do I feel so guilty, Nina? Why do I feel like if I said something, that she would still be here?" he said his eyes shinning in the darkness.

"It was an accident, a terrible accident" I said trying to reassure him, but honestly, I was reassuring myself. But all I could think of was the note on my nightstand and the note in Neo's hand. _Did somebody purposely start that fire? But who would want us dead?_ I thought I closed my eyes and I saw Abby. I saw her wild dirty blonde curls and her gleaming hazel eyes. Then I saw her as I saw her today, her skin all crisp from the fire her hair left in hideous clumps, and her eye missing. I felt the tears run down my cheeks as I remembered when Abby first told me about her feelings towards Neo…

_"Nina can I tell you something?" Abby asked nervously_

_"Sure, anything" I said_

_"I really really really really like Neo. I love everything about him. He just won't notice me" _

_"Well go for it" I said smiling" If you guys go out then we can double date! Just make sure you make it your goal" _

_"Okay. I vow that I will at least get kissed by Neo before I die" she said laughing_

That goal was never completed. I feel terrible that I didn't try harder to get them together. But there was just something that really annoyed me about the thought of Neo and Abby together. Then I felt someone spin me around, I gasped.

"Sorry you were kind of zoned out" Neo said

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just every time I close my eyes, I see her" I whispered

Neo immediately took me in his arms and I quietly sobbed on his shoulder. I felt my tank top strap get wet; it took me a moment to realize that he was crying too. I hugged him tighter, to reassure him. I pulled away and sat down on the couch, and I patted the spot by me. Neo sat down by me, and I laid my head on his shoulder. He did the natural thing and laid his head on mine. I clicked on the radio and I slowly fell asleep.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I woke up to the smell of coffee. I opened my eyes and saw that I was lying on top of Neo, my head lying on his chest. Neo had his arm around my waist and he was still sleeping peacefully. Then I heard someone start laughing.

"Wow, what happened last night?" Chang said obviously amused.

That was all it took to wake up Neo, I saw his eyes widen at the position we were in. I quickly got up, wincing a little from the bandages rubbing against my raw skin. Then Neo got up and brushed himself off. I was still in my tank top and boy-shorts, but Neo was in his wife beater and boxers. This didn't look good.

Thankfully, Chang let the subject drop,

"You guys should hurry up so we can get to the mall before rush hour"

I gave Neo a smirk and ran upstairs to take a shower. After I got dressed, I ran downstairs to shove a breakfast bar in my mouth. Then I waited for Neo. He came downstairs in what he wore yesterday, a wife beater and sweatpants. I rolled my eyes, and quickly ran to the car, and Neo climbed in the passenger seat with Chang sitting in the back.

I drove to the mall and parked the car. We all walked into the mall, and went to the closest clothing store. Chang got enough clothes to last a while, in a matter of a few minutes. Neo, of course took more time. Eventually, Chang decided he would go sit in a bookstore and look at magazines.

Neo and I raided the Teen Clothing stores, doing the weirdest things possible. I put tried on some really baggy guy jeans, while Neo put on some really, really, really tight girl pants. I watched him struggle to breathe as he walked over to me. I quickly used on hand to keep my own pants up and ran into his changing room and grabbed his sweatpants.

"You did not just steal my pants" he said, hardly breathing " I need those to revive me and get the natural blood flow to my legs back"

I just gave him my signature smirk and next thing I know his arms are around my waist, trying to get his pants. His face was so close to mine, I saw him then smirk and he stole his pants back. Then he walked away to his changing room.

_Why did that feel so… natural?_ I thought


	6. The first cut is the deepest

It was been a few days since that day at the mall, and we were getting ready for Abby's funeral. I had slipped on some dress pants with a gray t-shirt and a black vest. I waited for Neo and Chang to come down, so I sat on the couch. Chang came down first, dressed in a black dress shirt and gray slacks. Then came down Neo, with a black dress shirt, black pants, and a white tie. We all nodded, because we knew what we had to do today. We had to make Abby's funeral amazing, just like she was. We decided to keep her funeral small, with just family and Neo, me, Chang, and Jon. Neo and I made a slideshow with Abby's favorite song. I had the disk in my hand, and I walked out to the car. We drove to the church where we found lots of people sitting in seats. I saw Abby's dad in the front, his shoulders hunched. I heard a woman sobbing towards the back of the room. Neo and I joined Jon in the second row. I watched as Abby's father went up to the pulpit, clearing his throat.

"You all know why you're here, it all started with fire. My daughter was terrorized by an accidental fire. She was still filled with so much life and was gone before I knew it. She never got the chance to show her true beauty. She will be missed… so much… I'll just miss her so much"

He wiped the tears away from his eyes and stepped down from the pulpit, I took a deep breath. I stood up with Jon and Neo by my side and I made my way to the pulpit. Then I said,

"Fire destroys everything. The fire's touch leaves a scar and the damage will always be there. Abby was unfortunately, at the wrong place at the wrong time. Her life was cut off short but... Abby wouldn't want to be remembered for how she died, she would want to be remembered by hoe much fun she was and how she affected our lives. Jon, Neo, and I made a slideshow of her.

I began the slideshow with her favorite song "The first cut is the deepest" by Sheryl Crow. I watched picture after picture of Abby smiling, laughing, and just being well… her. I felt my cheeks get wet again. Then I looked towards the back, to the woman crying in the back row. I first noticed her crazy dirty blonde hair, and then I thought back to something Abby had told me years ago…

_Abby and I were in her room doing homework and trash talking our 7__th__ grade teachers. Then I thought of something I was dying to know, I hesitated before asking,_

_"Abby, did your mom die?"_

_I watched Abby hesitate before answering, and take a deep breath._

_"My mom disappeared when I was seven, she left just randomly. NO note, no letter, no call. Nothing. She left without a trace. There's nothing I can do about it, but I still do wonder about her._

_"So does she look like you?" I asked._

_"Where do you think I got my wild hair from?" she smirked._

I gazed intently at the woman in the back, and then I heard silence. The slideshow must have ended. We were just about to end in prayer, when the woman stood up and said,

"Wait, I have something to say" she walked up towards the front. She stood up at the pulpit, and pushed her hair away from her face.

"You're all probably wondering who I am, and why I'm here. If you had known Abby well, you would know that her mother disappeared nine years ago. Well, I am her mother"

I heard gasps throughout the church, but she continued.

"I was kidnapped on my way to work nine years ago. I was just recently able to escape, and my memory wasn't what it should have been. Unfortunately it all came back to me when I saw my daughter claimed to be dead in the newspaper. I never got to tell Abby goodbye, as of many of you. She never was told what happened, and now she never will. I love her so much, always have, and always will.

I watched Abby's mom step down from the pulpit, and hesitantly walked over to Abby's dad. She looked at him with sadness in her eyes, but Mr. Burgess quickly stood up and embraced her. I heard them whisper to each other "I missed you so much". They were separated for so long, but sadly it took a death for them to meet up again. Their own daughter's death to be exact, but at least they were together again.

The preacher came up to the pulpit and asked to bow our heads in prayer and I joined hands with Neo and Jon. I closed my eyes and listened to the preacher,

"Dear Lord, We have all learned today how easy it is to have a life taken away from us. Give us strength to go on, and help us mourn this terrible loss. Please take care of Abby when she ascends to you. Amen"

We let go of each others hands and Neo, Chang and I made our way to my car. I didn't feel any emotion while driving home, I just felt numb. I didn't feel like I was even here, I felt like I was looking at myself from above. The pictures of Abby still echoed through my mind. I drove into my driveway, and turned off the engine. I laid my head down on the steering wheel, I just couldn't move. There was just one thing on my mind; I just couldn't figure out if Abby's death was an accident or not. Then I heard a knock on my window, I screamed.

"Hey it's ok, it's just me" said Neo "I was just wondering if your going to get out"

I nodded and got out of the car, and we both went inside and sat on the couch. Then I heard the telephone ring, and Chang answered it. Neo and I waited for him to come back, and then Jon came in. When Chang came back his face was pale.

"What's wrong?" I asked

"Her body is gone, Abby's body is gone" Chang whispered.


	7. What's This?

It was like time stopped. I mean how could Abby's be gone? Who would want her body? This was just too weird.

"How is her body mi-miss-missing?" Neo stammered

"You know how we chose to have a closed casket right? Well the body was there when they set it up, but when they went to bury it later… it was gone" Chang explained.

"Why would someone want Abby's body?" Jon asked.

"I'm not sure, but this is getting weird" Chang said.

"Did you guys ever think that… that maybe the fire wasn't an accident? That somebody might have started it?" I asked

"It's not possible, if someone started the fire, they would have died in the fire" said Neo.

"Not if more than one person was doing the job" Jon mumbled.

"Don't tell me you believe her too, Jon" said Neo.

"Well it makes more sense to me; I mean what could have started the fire? We didn't have anything cooking and you don't have a fireplace. Nina and Abby went to get the food remember? The way I see it, someone had to intentionally start it" Jon explained.

I could tell Neo was stumped, so he remained silent. So was I, because Jon made a good point.

"What if somebody was actually trying to kill me? But instead Abby died? For all we know her death could be an accident that way" said Neo.

"Whoever it was could've been after you or Abby for all we know, it could have been any of us" I insisted "It's no ones fault Neo"

"Can we stop talking about this? Can we talking about something else please?" muttered Jon.

I saw that Jon felt very uncomfortable, because he was wringing his hands. I remembered he would only wring his hands when a subject came up that he didn't like talking about. He did that when he told me about his father…

_It was a hot July day, and my friends and I just finished our freshman year. Jon and I decided to go swimming at the lake down the street form Jon's house. This was the first time I ever swam with Jon since sixth grade. All the other times Neo, Abby, and I wanted to go swimming he would make up some excuse or just not come at all. I figured if Jon was swimming with me, that this was a big step for him. I had changed into my red bikini and waited by the lake. Then Jon came out from behind the tree and I gasped._

_There were scars all over his body, and I saw bruises sprinkled all over. The mark that really stood out from the rest was the one towards his hip bone; it looked as if he had been stabbed or something. I walked closer to him, and I gently turned him around. I saw the branches of belt marks melted into his back, I carefully touched the scars, and I felt Jon tense up. I turned him around to face me so I could see his chest again, I brushed my fingers against the deep scar at his hip. I looked up to him, with horror._

_"What happened to you?" I whispered._

_I saw him begin to wring his hands, and he finally said,_

_"My family is pretty messed up, well at least my father is. He beat me throughout my seventh grade year. He beat me, whipped me, and he stabbed me in the summer. I was two years ago, but these scars remind me that the past is real. I try not to think about it, but I can't go hiding myself for much longer. That's why my dad left in eighth grade, because we finally out him in jail._

_I immediately felt the need to hug him, to comfort him. Even thought it happened two years ago, I still asked,_

_"So your mom just let this happen?" _

_"He did stuff to her too, way worse than that he did with me, it was a little bit more… sexual" he said blushing. _

_"Oh. I wish I knew what to say. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"_

_"Because I was afraid. I was afraid that you would think that your boyfriend wasn't as tough as you thought he was. I was afraid to tell anybody. I couldn't go swimming because people would see the scars. You're the first person I've told because well… I love you Nina"_

I remember that memory always because it was when Jon was serious with me, the first time he told me he loved me, and it deepened our relationship. Everything was so much easier back then, before Jon started drinking, before Jon because more depressed, it was before Abby was murdered. I decided it wasn't an accident, someone had started that fire. I just wasn't sure who. No matter what the others say, I still don't think it was an accidental fire.

"I just don't get how Abby's body is missing or why someone would want it" Neo stated.

"That is what doesn't make sense, the body is so messed up anyway" Jon mumbled.

"Who would want a burned up body?" I asked.

"All I know is, it's got to be some psycho" Neo stated "I mean that goes to a funeral and steals the body right from the casket?"

"Someone with a good reason, and the right motive" I replied.

"I can't think of anyone who would hate us that much besides Lindsay, but I don't think she would kill Abby or even take her body for that matter" said Jon, frowning "She's the craziest person we've pranked"

"She did make me fall, and I landed on the ground pretty hard" I said, frowning at the memory.

"We never pranked her that bad. If we did, Abby was never with is. She always stayed behind, because she didn't like Lindsay. Lindsay always made fun of her because she was so quiet and never pranked" Neo said "If Lindsay killed her; she really is screwed up because Abby never did anything to her. Abby was more mature"

"We could just talk to Lindsay about it, we could be talking about this all day, but we will never know if we don't ask" Jon murmured.

Neo and I just nodded in agreement; we all walked out of my house and across the street. Neo's house was still in ashes, they haven't bothered to clean it up yet. We walked up to Lindsay's door and knocked, the door creaked open, but no one was there. I slowly walked in and the guys followed. We had only been in her house once when we were in sixth grade because Lindsay told her mom about the prank we pulled on her, but we never got in trouble. We quietly walked up the stairs to Lindsay's room and knocked on the door. No one answered the door so I knocked again, a little harder this time. Lindsay still didn't answer. Neo slowly opened the door, we heard no protesting. Jon went in first and Neo and I followed. I saw her at the computer, sitting in a chair.

"Lindsay, what the heck? Why didn't you answer when we knocked? Are you even listen- oh my god" I gasped.

I had walked over to face Lindsay to see if she was listening to me, when I saw her morbid face.

The long slit in her throat had caused the front of her shirt to be a dark horrifying red. The deep cut on her forehead caused her flawless face to be soaked in her blood. Her dark hair was caked to her face. I slowly touched the blood on her cheek, and it was almost dry. The one thing that really caught my eye was the message on her computer screen. "Secrets can kill, secrets can be deadly, and secrets can cause trouble. How much she longed to have her fingers going through his dark red hair, how much she wanted to tell him that she was falling for him. He didn't know because she kept it a secret. Look what happens when you keep secrets from people"

I was suddenly dumbstruck and very confused. Who was Lindsay having secret conversations with? Then when I read it a second time, I realize who the message was talking about. I looked over to Jon and he rubbed the back of his neck. I stared at him for a minute or so, looking into his eyes and I saw sadness.

Taking my eyes off of Jon, I looked at Lindsay's desk and saw her cell phone. I picked up her cell phone and want to her call log. As I looked at her dialed numbers and received calls, only one name showed over and over again: Jon's. I went to her text message Inbox, and saw loads of texts from Jon. I set her phone back on the table.

"Neo, can you umm drag Lindsay's chair toward her bed? I need to see something on her computer" I said motioning to Lindsay's corpse. Neo obeyed and hesitantly moved her to the bed. I grabbed the stool in the corner and sat at the computer desk. Conveniently her email site was open; and just like her cell phone, Jon's name appeared numerous times. I scrolled down to the bottom of the screen, to see that they started emailing each other last year, I scrolled back up to the most recent and I saw an advice forum confirmation email confirming that her topic " complicated friendship with someone I shouldn't be friends with" has been posted. I clicked on the link and it advanced me to her post. I read "I have a serious issue. This guy and I have known each other forever, and well for about five years, all him and his friends did was play pranks on me. This last year or so he and I have somehow been talking nonstop, because we can just understand each other. The only problem is he has a girlfriend, a girlfriend who he's been with for eight years. The more I talk to him and hang out with him, the more I seem to fall for him. His friends and his girlfriend really don't like me but he just likes me as a friend or maybe more. What should I do? I just cant seen to stay away from him and I know he feels the same about that at least" I exited out of it and looked at Jon, and he seemed to be nervous.

"Dude, what's going on?" Neo asked.

"We were just friends, honest. I just didn't know that she felt that way about me, I didn't cheat, I swear" Jon said.

"Why didn't you tell us? You could have told us instead of sneaking around with Lindsay" I said, calmly as I could.

"I really didn't think you guys would've understood. I just remember about a year ago, we threw a bunch of shaving cream filled balloons in her window. While you, Neo, and Abby were laughing, I looked at Lindsay look out of her window with the saddest look in her eyes. Her hair and clothes were covered in shaving cream and it looked like she was about to cry. So when we went home, I drove back to her house. I entered her room to see her room was massacred by shaving cream, and I saw Lindsay sitting on the floor in a little ball. When she noticed I was in the room, she looked up but then quickly covered her face again. Even though I only saw her face for a few seconds, I knew she had been crying. So I sat on the floor with her and I apologized to her. She started to cry again, but I calmed her down and she forgave me. After that night we just couldn't stop talking to each other and we became good friends" Jon explained.

"I still don't get why you could've at least told us after a month or two" Neo pointed out

"We all know you guys would've gotten mad and wouldn't be happy with it" Jon replied "Lindsay went through a lot and what we were doing to her was just making it worse"

"So all the times I called you, and you were busy at "work" you were with Lindsay?" I said, crossing my arms "So you lied to me?"

"Yeah I did, but think of it like a Romeo and Juliet situation but instead its forbidden friendship. That's the way I saw it" Jon said looking at his shoes.

"Guys, it shouldn't matter now. Lindsay's dead and you guys aren't together anymore, it's in the past" Neo ordered "Just get yourselves together, the police are probably going to question us"

Neo called 9-1-1 and explained what happened and when the police and ambulance got there, they took us three to the station.


End file.
